Stage/Toronto Fringe 2024

What: Escape from Toronto
Where: Native Earth’s Aki Studio, 585 Dundas St. E.
When: July 12 at 2:30 pm; Sat., Jul. 13 at 3:15 pm
Highlight: Classic action movie parody moments
Rating: NNN (out of 5)
Why you should go: Bryson’s performance as Snake Plisskin will leave you wheezing

WHAT’S BETTER than Escape from Toronto? Well, if you ask Snake, the campy alpha-male protagonist of this show, his answer would be “pussy.”

It’s 1997. The Future. (Today.) Toronto has turned into a high-security prison, and Snake Plisskin, played by writer-actor Tamlynn Bryson, must escape and save the world. Bryson is ball-bustlingly hilarious through both her physical comedy and writing chops for the show. Though it’s ridiculous, the show is incredibly smart in its execution and takes delight in how unserious it truly is.

Rod Peter Jr. fills in as a whole host of wacky characters, from Steve Buscemi to being the handler for the evil mastermind Karen (who is a puppet in this production. Yes, the puppet and Snake have sex on stage. It was funny but, also, my eyes were burning.) There are references to a whole slew of action movies, including but not limited to the classics of Escape from New York, Speed and even Halloween.

All in all, Escape from Toronto has a few too many dick jokes for my taste, but alas, that is also the point of this commentary on toxic masculinity. And to be honest, I don’t remember the last time I laughed that hard.