Authentic Humour
by C. W. on 2022-03-28Meridian Hall - TorontoI’ve heard him twice before in person and read or listened to every single one of his books, including his most recent, Carnival of Snackery. He is a brilliant, clever, sensitive, honest writer who shows his soul both on the page and in between the lines. This performance was interesting, less perfect, but in some ways with all the paper shuffling, wardrobe adjustments and pauses, more genuine. He fit in this one-off Toronto gig because the previous February show had been cancelled (“some places have tighter restrictions” he sardonically? mused) and before he starts a 40 night tour next week. So it was a bit off the cuff, reflective, first-draft and authentically tentative. It was all new material, except a bit at the end, and featured much reflection on the loss of his “ideal character”, father Lou, who died last May. Hence it dealt a lot with aging, death, legacy and grief in a regretful, sad but humorous way as per him. It’s fitting his next book has a Clown theme; the inner honest melancholy of funny man Sedaris is what I thought I glimpsed tonight and why I adore his writing and spoken word so much.