This past weekend, comedian Mark Forward, of Mr. D and The Jon Dore Television Show fame, brought his comedy stylings to a packed house at Kitchener’s Registry Theatre, and his act did not disappoint.
Forward had the audience in stitches the entire time, showing the talent that won the 2012 Canadian Comedy Award for Best Taped Live Performance on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.
Forward was not alone in his trek to Kitchener, however, as two other comics graced the stage alongside him.
The very funny Steve Dylan started the show with a bang with his killer opening monologue before acting as emcee for the remainder of the night.
Hamilton’s Kyle Radke did an excellent job warming up the crowd with his set as he waxed philosophically about how not to look threatening while walking about when one’s wife has a black eye (hint: leave the glasses on).
When Forward took the stage, however, things really started to pick up. From the opening joke to the closing one-liner, the crowd was entirely in his grasp, and he knew it.
Forward toyed with the crowd, poking fun at two visually-impaired audience members by narrating whimsical events “happening” on stage, and attempting to get the audience to sing Foreigner with him. Through it all though, a genuine joy of performing shone through, really encapsulating the comedic essence of his act.
As for advice for aspiring comics, the comics didn’t mince words. “I don’t know a single comedian who is proud of their first year in comedy,” Radke said. “And if you do find one, it’s usually a pretty bad comedian.”
“It’s never easy, never fun,” Forward said laughing. “Naw, it’s alright, it’s just getting through the shitty parts.” True say, Mark. True say.
You can catch Mark on Season 3 of Mr. D, starting Feb. 24 on CBC.
