2-MAN NO-SHOW

ClownProv

Manifested by Ken Hall and Isaac Kessler

Musical accompaniment by Erik Mortimer

Thursday Sept 21st @ 8 pm

The absurd and unpredictable duo of Isaac Kessler and Ken Hall use high energy physicality to drive characters into absurd and surreal situations that are utterly jaw dropping. 2-MAN NO-SHOW attack every stage with their signature hyperphysical, hilarious and fourth-wall-breaking “ClownProv”-style that is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. One of the hottest North American acts around, the unpredictable tag-team duo take you on a bizarre ride of undefinably funny comedy. Tired of talking heads? So are we. Known for their signature hyperphysical, hilarious and fourth-wall-breaking “ClownProv” style, they wow audiences and win hearts wherever they go.

“Hilarious and physical sketch comedy that easily rivals anything currently on late-night TV” – NOW MAGAZINE – ***** – CRITICS’ PICK

2-MAN NO-SHOW is of the hottest North American acts around. The absurd and unpredictable tag-team duo of Isaac Kessler and Ken Hall take you on a bizarre ride of undefinably funny comedy. Tired of talking heads? So are we. 2-MAN NO-SHOW attack every stage with their signature hyperphysical, hilarious and fourth-wall-breaking ClownProv style to create a whimsical and fantastical world of heart-felt characters connecting in genuine and hilariously unexpected ways. They have wowed audiences and critics at North America’s top Comedy Festivals, and performed a full run at the Edinburgh Comedy Festival, were nominated for three Canadian Comedy Awards (Best Improv Troupe, Best Comedic Show, and Best Variety Act), as well as Best Improv Troupe of 2013 & 2014 by Toronto’s NOW Magazine.

Ken Hall is a Dora Mavor Moore Award nominee, award winning public speaker and keynote speaker and a Canadian Comedy Award winner (Best Breakout Artist) and multiple CCA award nominee, including most recently, Comedic Artist of the Year. Ken plays the lovable Herb and provides motion capture as the body of Pogo in Netflix’s THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY and has appeared in numerous film and television roles including two seasons as, Jeff The Grey, on TBS’s hit series PEOPLE OF EARTH and has appeared as a guest on CONAN. Ken is also one-half of the critically acclaimed, comedic clownprov duo, 2-MAN NO-SHOW, with his comedic soulmate, Isaac Kessler, and has had the pleasure to work for CIRQUE DU SOLEIL. Ken currently performs as a cast member of IMPROV BRUNCH at The Second City and recently completed a successful run in Canadian Stage’s Shakespeare adaptation of ‘AS YOU LIKE IT’ for the Dream in High Park series and a two person re-telling of SNOW WHITE for Young People’s Theatre for which he was nominated for a Dora Award for Outstanding Performance by an Individual. Ken teaches Public Speaking at The Second City – a course he created and developed, as well as Clownprov at Bad Dog Theatre. Ken co-created & co-instructs a 6 week course on creative play, aptly named, Brunch!, at Sweet Action Theatre as well as  Speakeasy – a course that combines public speaking and play theory and teaches improv at The Social Capital Theatre.  Ken was awarded the Frank McAnulty Award for Faculty Instructor of the Year 2019 at The Second City.

Isaac Kessler has been performing, writing, jewishing, directing, basketballing, teaching, loving, fighting, and producing comedy for over 18 years. He is an internationally-acclaimed and multiple Canadian Comedy Award nominee (2012/14/15/19), nominated as Best Male Improviser in 2015. He is one half of the award-winning ClownProv juggernaut 2-MAN NO-SHOW alongside his comedic soulmate Ken Hall. In the summer of 2022, Isaac debuted 1-MAN NO-SHOW, his first ever solo show. It received rave reviews and standing ovations at the Toronto Fringe, and won the Artists Pick Award at the Edmonton Fringe Festival, the largest theatre festival in North America. He is also an award-winning director of five solo clown shows with more in development. Isaac possesses some TV credits and features in a bunch of funny national commercials like the beer one where he performed on camera for 4 and a half hours straight. For the past 12 years, Isaac’s training has focused on Clown, Mask, Idiot Work, Bouffon, and LeCoq-based Physical Theatre with world-renowned instructors Philippe Gaulier (mentor of Sacha Baron Cohen), Paola Coletto, John Gilkey, Dr. Brown (Philip Burgers), PUSH Theater, and Aitor Basauri of Spymonkey fame. He has performed with the ground-breaking Wet The Hippo Collective by Cirque du Soleil’s John Gilkey, and Dean Evan’s visionary Bouffon troupe Mil Grus (Producer’s Award – Hollywood Fringe/Fringe Encore Series – NYC’s SOHO Playhouse). Isaac co-created & co-instructs “BRUNCH!” – a six week course on creative play, at Sweet Action Theatre. Follow him on TikTok → @djmenorah. He went viral once.

Erik Mortimer is a musician, composer and music director based in Edmonton. His compositions and Music Direction have both been recognized with Sterling awards by Alberta’s theatre community with his composition of Capitol Theatre’s “Sleeping Beauty” and music direction, on Theatre Network’s “The Last Five Years”. He has composed several musical scores including the Capitol Theatre’s “Robin Hood”, “Jack and the Beanstalk” and “Cinderella”, Thou Art Here’s “Kill Shakespeare” and “Shakespeare’s Will” and Rapid Fire Theatre’s “How the Blank Stole Christmas”. Erik has been fortunate to work with many outstanding artists and company’s including the Citadel Theatre, Mayfield Theatre and Teatro la Quindicina. He has performed with world class musicians including Simone Denny, Mitch Watkins, Andrea House and Martin Kerr including performances at the Edmonton Folk Fest, The Northern Jubilee Auditorium and The Winspear Centre and he is keyboard player for popular Edmonton cover band “The Barkells!” You can catch them this year at the NHL’s Heritage Classic here in Edmonton. Erik has performed lots of improvised musicals both with Rapid Fire’s “Off Book the Improvised Musical” and Grindstone Theatre’s “The 11 O’clock Number”. He is a rehearsal pianist at Ballet Edmonton and also played drums for Grindstone Theatre’s “Jason Kenney’s Hot Boy Summer.”