Reviews
Text of Georgia Straight review:
TRANSCENDENTAL MASTURBATION: THE SECOND COMING
Don’t let the provocative title fool you. There is no masturbation in this show. At least, there wasn’t the night I went. Glen Callender claimed that a sprained back would prevent him from performing the title piece, which only piqued the interest of the near-sellout crowd at the WISE Hall. Still, there was comedic masturbation in the sense that it was a one-man show and Callender unloaded his bagful of comedy, some of which seemed for his amusement only.
His postmodern, self-referential routines were hit-and-miss, but either way the audience won. Callender is such a likeable and naturally funny guy that when his bits fall flat, he’s at his funniest. After one bit about a ninja pregnancy counselor, he noted, “I feel a palpable sense of dissatisfaction.” He told us there was humour in the lulls and informed us that the bit was gold no matter what we thought.
And some of it was. There was a very funny recorded opening in which the WISE Hall itself welcomed us and gave us a tour of the room, including its impressive mono speakers. In the British-accent portion of the show, Callender sat at the keyboard and gave a version of “Imagine” that John Lennon might have written had he a better imagination; he sang of a world where tornadoes give to charity and cockroaches go back in time. He performed haiku “without a net” (memorized, not read). Not classic theatre, but a very funny show nonetheless.
by Guy MacPherson
The Georgia Straight
16-Sep-99
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