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Comedy Culture

Next Stage review: The Harold Experience

THE HAROLD EXPERIENCE by the ensemble (The Assembly/Next Stage). At Factory Studio (125 Bathurst). January 9 at 6:45 pm, January 11 at 7 pm, January 13 at 4:15 pm, January 14 at 6:15 pm. See listing. Rating: NNN

The Harold, created by comedy legend Del Close, is one of the most fascinating longform improv structures, and when it works it’s unlike anything else.

By its very nature, however, improv is a hit-and-miss proposition. On the night I saw The Harold Experience, featuring audience suggestions that included a “sound guy,” a real estate maverick, honey and touching, it was equal parts hits and misses.

Paloma Nunez scored big laughs as a chronic liar she’s especially good at suggesting subtext while Matt Folliott made the most of a repeated bit about his character’s height.

The best scenes involved Ken Hall keeping track of the number of fights he’d had with a raccoon, but his bits involving his character’s estranged daughter (Ashley Botting) didn’t develop in intriguing ways.

Sharper direction (by Rob Norman), more nuanced musical cues (by Ayaka Kinugawa, overly fond of ballads) and a more cohesive cast could have made this show much funnier.

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