Brittlestar brings laughter home with Northern Wit: Comedy as the Canadian Shield

Brittlestar hits the stage for a jam packed night of comedy this month

On Friday, Nov. 28, from 7-9:30 p.m. at the Stratford City Hall auditorium, the gloves come off and the punchlines land in this one-night, hilarious evening stacked with comedic fame.

In the first set, host Stewart Reynolds – famously known as Brittlestar – welcomes award-winning comedian Martha Chaves with a no-holds-barred set of satire, storytelling and gut-busting honesty, riffing on clichés, cultural identity and the glorious contradictions of Canadian life.

“Martha is fantastic,” said Reynolds, who is looking forward to performing in his hometown, though he admits it’s slightly intimidating.

“Doing any sort of performance in your hometown is daunting and challenging, because you can’t just put on the persona of the stage – the persona that you have when you grab the microphone and start talking to people – because you’re really just that guy, the same one that they saw at Sobeys earlier that day.”

In the second set, audience members will join CBC Ideas host Nahlah Ayed in conversation with Chaves, Deb McGrath and Reynolds for a sharp, hilarious and thought-provoking discussion on how comedy shapes who we are: what satire can reveal about Canada, how comedians complicate our national myths and why laughing at ourselves is so quintessentially Canadian.

“We wanted a night where Canada could look in the mirror and not flinch: first through Martha Chaves’ fearless stand-up, then through a live CBC Ideas conversation,” said Mark Rosenfeld, founding director of the Provocation Ideas Festival. “In a small city like Stratford, that mix of laughter and reflection feels exactly right – intimate, honest and unexpectedly revealing.”

The evening is expected to be filled with belly laughs for all those in attendance, and Rosenfeld says he hopes people walk away with memories that will last.

“I want the audience to take away three things: first, that we recognized ourselves – our myths, contradictions and quirks – and laughed together,” he said. “Second, that satire isn’t just snark; it’s a way to tell the truth kindly and clearly. And third, that Stratford can host national-calibre conversations with a neighbourly feel. If people leave saying, ‘I laughed hard – and I’m still thinking about it,’ we’ve done our job.”

For those interested in attending the star-packed performance, Reynolds said he believes everyone who walks through the door will leave feeling like they love Canada just a little bit more than they already did.

“I think it’s going to be great,” he said. “My hope is that people who attend are going to really enjoy themselves – that’ll be inevitable. I think if you’re there, you’re going to have an amazing time, you’re going to be entertained, and you’re also going to feel better about being Canadian and better about being a smart-ass as well.”

Presented in partnership with CBC Ideas and Destination Stratford as part of the Provocation Ideas Festival.

Seats are limited. Visit https://tinyurl.com/52a7p2t9 for more information.