By Karen Fricker

Critic in residence Hayley Malouin writes,

Fame! Misfortune! And SO many fences! On Saturday night, Rob Feetham – The Other Houdini – performed to a merry crowd at Mikados Bar. A chaotic cluster of pranks, audience participation, and pratfalls, The Other Houdini chronicles the rise and fall of a mediocre escape artist. The stunts are faked; the traps aren’t deathly; and the séance is staged. But the hilarity, joy, and raw energy Feetham brings to the stage is delightfully real.

Feetham’s absurd, loveable character is captivating and enchanting. He’s an odd kind of hero: stocky, loud, and so much fun. It’s easy to get on board with such a warm and fuzzy ball of energy, and even easier to get on board with his ludicrous stunts. We’re all on the same team – he says so himself. Feetham uses – and even abuses – his audience, but no one seems to mind. His crafty way of easing us into the wacky narrative is so clever that no one bats an eye as Feetham drags an audience member – In The Soil committee chair Sara Palmieri no less – onstage and orders her to tape him into a cardboard box. Onlookers even start chanting “More tape! MORE TAPE!” buying into Feetham’s world completely.

What makes Feetham so delightful to watch is the simplicity of his circumstances juxtaposed by the frantic, intense energy he brings to his performance. Feetham endows little things with rich history and importance; a paper coin wrapper becomes an Ancient Finger Trap of Death; cows are Urban Moo Cows of legendary prowess. The tiniest things become Feetham’s biggest obstacles, and leave his audience rolling in the aisles.

The Other Houdini also features one-man-band musical force Cameron Michael Murray. Playing guitar, xylophone, and drums – to name a few – Murray’s songs and sound effects paint a picture of the bizarre world Feetham inhabits; plus he makes an excellent straight man. The music is just good, plain and simple, and Feetham and Murray are a witty whimsical duo.

Feetham’s exuberant, ecstatic and effortlessly hilarious performance has it all: comedy, tragedy, and death-defying feats – all within an hour. If you’re a fan of slapstick and laughing until it hurts, The Other Houdini is for you. Lovers of high comedy and clean humour might find Feetham to be crude, crazy, and more than a bit loud. But The Other Houdini is a hell of a good time, and that’s what comedy’s all about – “So put that in a plastic baggie and snack on it!”