Heath Franklin brings his famous Chopper show to Fringe, delivering his classic expletive-ridden style of stand-up. What started out as a skit on The Ronnie Johns Half Hour show nearly two decades ago, has now become a classic stand-up show. Heath is a talented improviser and seasoned performer, so I had high expectations for this show, and he delivered.
Our friend Chopper appeared on stage, beer in hand, looking around at the audience. Then he launched straight into picking out several of us for a quick chat. It was the usual chit-chat – how are you going, what’s your name, what do you do scenario, but the way he riffs off each person with ease is masterful. That was just the warm-up. Chopper then went on his tirade of setting the world to rights with his observations of society while using a lot of profanity. As he talked, Chopper wove the audience member’s stories into the narrative and kept us all engaged – this is a master class in improv.
Chopper’s accurate observations had us all in hysterics, and this is where you can see his craft. Heath’s connection to the audience and ability to read the room, picking up on the small, nuanced changes in reaction kept him rolling through his material, and always keeping engaged with his audience. It was a really fun night.
Head down to the Pleasure Garden for the last few shows of Fringe World and catch the show.
Grab your tickets HERE!