Peter 'n' Chris

Funny, funny, and more funny. A whole (gore-filled) bucket of funny, already. What else can you say? I didn’t get to see the Peter ‘n’ Chris show last year, but now that I’ve seen The Mystery of the Hungry Heart Motel, I want to fly back in time to see the older shows... Hey, that would make for a good Peter ‘n’ Chris show.

This year’s adventure has the pair survive a hilarious slo-mo car accident, only to need directions to a mechanic and a place to stay for the night. Enter the Hungry Heart Hotel, where everyone knows that it’s all about murder... the Bates-ian owner points out that the neon sign outside depicts a knife stabbing a heart, over and over. Can Peter ‘n’Chris survive the night? Can Peter ‘n’ Chris solve the murders? Can Peter ‘n’ Chris discover why the mattresses and bedding are so horribly filthy?

I have to admit that this duo’s absurdist, physical sense of humour is right up my alley, but I’m sure I’m not the only one, as they had me and the audience in stitches for the full 60 minutes. Their comedic timing is impeccable... even when I thought I perceived a flubbed line, they covered it up and made that really funny, too. They are great physical actors, particularly Chris. When he comes out as the hunchbacked presenter, the cane he pretends to hold is there. He did it perfectly. But they both can mime routines that mimic shots from epic Hollywood movies, and have a sardonic sense of humour at the same time. This play convinced me that I’m not sure what they can’t do.

They both play multiple characters with ease. Peter and Chris really have a talent for breaking the fourth wall in a way that enhances the audience’s experience instead of disrupting it. The humour ranged from the referential to the juvenile, from the slapstick to the creepy (very creepy), but it was always there. There are even a few moments where we get to care about the characters in the story, because as with all great comedians, they can do a decent drama, too. This show is packed full of laughs from start to finish and it’s one of my favourites of the Fest so far.

Do they survive the night? There’s lots of merry murder and mayhem in this one – with an ingenious way of showing it -- but I won’t tell. But when one person goes into the steamy, empty shower room, and one person goes into a hedge maze, it can’t be good. Well, except for the fact that the show is REALLY good. Don’t miss this one unless you’re a dour, lifeless person with no funny bone. Who breathes into other people’s mouths.