LaFev - A Comedy
A show by Stephen Lefebvre
Friday, March 20
Inch Bar
Review by SAM HENDERSON
Stephen Lefebvre is a comedian with a brave and honest voice, but his recent show unfortunately left me feeling more sorrowful than joyful.
Performing to an intimate crowd of only about half a dozen people is a tough gig for anyone and the sparse room may have understandably thrown him off his rhythm.
He opened with promising energy, but as the set progressed, the jokes struggled to land.
Lefebvre draws on some truly fantastic, raw and sensitive material, mining his own life for thematic stories about high school bullying, his strict church upbringing, time working as a teacher and painful, ongoing fertility struggles. These are profoundly human experiences, and sharing them on stage is incredibly
courageous. However, his structural choices can leave the audience stranded in the heaviness of those situations.
I have attended other comedy gigs where serious issues are discussed, but both the onlookers and the comedian need a release of tension after such heartbreaking tales. A punchline in these moments does not negate the sad tale, but it provides the release of laughter that brings the audience and performer
together, sharing how no matter how hard things get, life goes on. Without enough of that structural release, I found myself wanting to give him a warm hug, buy him a pint and gently pass along the name of my therapist.
When a brave patron played along with a bit about being disciplined by a high school teacher, it was a solid premise. Yet, Lefebvre missed the crucial landing. Instead of keeping the pressure high at the end, he needed to break character, thank the trouper for playing along and encourage the rest of us to give them a hand. I am certainly not against participation, but a comedian must take the room with them and ensure everyone feels safe and celebrated after being put on the spot.
Lefebvre has the courage to be deeply vulnerable on stage, which is a rare and wonderful gift for any performer. The tough and challenging parts of his life are excellent material to draw upon. With some structural refinement to ensure the atmosphere has a better opportunity to be lightened with humour, he could transform what can feel awkward into a truly masterful and uplifting comedy set.
Future shows - Saturday, March 21, 8pm, Inch Bar
