Every Job I've Ever Had: an honest and authentic gift

Barry Smith has a rock-solid history of successful multi-media solo comedy shows that somehow shine the spotlight on Barry's appreciation of humanity so well that you somehow manage to forget all that whizz-bang Power Point™ technology he uses to tell those captivating stories.  Following on Jesus in Montana, American Squatter and Me, My Stuff and I (aka Barry Smith's Baby Book), Barry brings us his Employment quadrant to compliment the Spiritual, Family and Material quadrants with which Fringe-goers have become familiar.

And, really, we are so familiar by now, aren't we?  I mean, I feel like I'm related to Barry, knowing all that I do about his childhood, parents, grandparents, teenage pals, skateboarding days, squatting and scrounging in London days and sleeping with the doomsday cult in Montana days.  I leave his shows speaking with a Louisiana drawl I never knew I had.  But this review is about Barry Smith's show and I have to try to get over feeling such familial affection for him and give you the straight goods on its quality.  Never mind that he's such a likeable, charming guy...

It's really very good.  I was in a nearly full house that he had eating out of his hand within the first five minutes.  The connection between the performer and the audience can sometimes be strained or awkward but Barry sincerely gives an honest and authentic gift to the audience and there's a palpable appreciation from the audience for his efforts.  If you've ever had a crummy job or wondered where the heck your career trajectory may be headed, this is the show for you.  If you've been blessed with an easy go of it and everything is just ticketty-boo for you, this may be the show that will make you wonder what you may have missed.

Every Job I've Ever Had is on as part of the Vancouver Fringe. For more information go here