Off-Island Odyssey a trip worth taking, says Stephenson
BY SCOTT STEPHENSON
Last week, Off-Island Odyssey, the new one-man show from Justin Shaw, premiered at the Blyth Festival. If opening night is any indication of how the rest of his rural residency will unfold, this P.E.I. native should be sitting pretty, because he absolutely killed it.
On Sunday night, Shaw demonstrated a command of the room that many comedians spend entire careers chasing. From crowdwork to closer, the walls of Memorial Hall were bombarded with what seemed like every possible permutation of laughter. A cacophony of chuckles, chortles, chuffs and cackles from one side of the room were met with ah-has, tee-hees and, of course, ha-has. There was even a smattering of honest-to-goodness, old-fashioned knee-slapping.
Perhaps it was just a hot room - one of those rare and magical occurrences when a room full of strangers arrives primed to laugh, but this reviewer thinks not. As a comedian, Shaw lands an impressive number of jokes per minute. As a storyteller, remarkably charming, thoughtful and self-aware. It’s a winning combo that makes the show’s one hour and 50 minute runtime fly by.
Off-Island Odyssey traces Shaw’s journey from rural Prince Edward Island to Toronto, weaving together stories of family, identity and the pull of discovering what lies beyond the edge of what one already knows. It’s a journey that gives the Blyth audience a lot of familiar things to laugh about. Some might recognize themselves in his childhood on a farm. Others will connect with the restless curiosity that drives him to leave home in search of something undefined. His observations about an influx of Amish neighbours, or the culture shock of first encountering urban life, are equally rooted in “Islander” identity while remaining broadly relatable for the Huron County set.
Early in the show, Shaw reveals that many of his Friday nights growing up were spent watching comedy on CBC. It shows. As a student of Canadian comedy, Shaw’s stand-up feels distinctly homegrown. He draws direct parallels to the storytelling style of his childhood hero, the late Mike MacDonald. At times, his longer narrative passages evoke the absurd, theatrical monologues delivered by Kids in the Hall like Dave Foley and Bruce McCulloch. However, these influences never overwhelm his own voice.
His mostly family-friendly stories are engaging in themselves, but it’s the insightful observations tucked inside them that linger. Whether reflecting on family, personal ambition or the shifting peculiarities of Canadian identity, Shaw consistently finds fresh perspectives without sacrificing warmth.
For all the laughs Off-Island Odyssey delivers, and there are plenty, its greatest accomplishment may be its sincerity. Shaw invites audiences along on a deeply personal journey without ever making it feel exclusive. From the heart of the maritimes to the outer edges of the kinosphere, Justin Shaw’s Off-Island Odyssey is a journey well worth taking.