JFL42 Review: Greg Proops

September 20, 2018 • 7:00 PM • The Royal

Filed under: Reviews, Festivals

One of my biggest disappointments from last year's fest was the unfortunate last-minute pullout by Greg Proops. He's a comic I've been dying to see live for some time now, and anyone I've known who's been lucky enough to see him has held it over my head and mocked me senselessly for it.

Having finally seen him, I'm very pleased to say he more than lived up to my expectations. Proops is one of those few comics you can tell is not only naturally gifted, but has a poise, stature, and work ethic that elevates him into another tier of comedian altogether. The word that kept coming into my head was 'professional'. Putting aside the obvious that he puts on a suit and carries himself with a distinctly confident swagger, his act, delivery, and quickness on his feet set him apart from comics who may have strong jokes but weak delivery, or beaming stage presence with lackluster material. Proops has it all. Not even a distraction by a guy in the front row on his phone could derail him. If anything, he seems to relish spontaneous distractions, such as intentionally awkward silences or a woman with a boisterous laugh, to add colour to an already vibrant set.

The standing ovation he received at the end was well deserved, and he kicked off the festival on a very high note.

Passes and individual tickets for JFL42 -- which runs September 20-29 in venues across Toronto -- can be found at jfl42.com/choose-your-pass. Greg Proops has other shows you can check out during the festival.

Tags: JFL42, stand-up, Greg Proops, Toronto

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J.D. Renaud is a writer, comedian, producer, and visual artist originally from Oakville, Ontario. You can follow his weird thoughts on Twitter at @jdrenaud.

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