How to Love a Fascist
Reviewed by Cheryl Breukelman
Cassie Cao is a CBC-acclaimed comedian so I had a hunch ahead of time that she would be good. She did not disappoint. She delighted.
She is likeable, fun, funny and animated. She shows up on the stage with warmth and ease that had the audience relaxing into the show within minutes.
Cassie brings a smart and educated millennial experience to us, weaving in interesting themes all throughout the show like the masters. The audience had countless moments to giggle and laugh with her.
But it wasn't just comedy.
She says herself, "I'm here to give you a Ted Talk and some comedy." It was storytelling - personal and real and relatable - and comedy.
She had us on the proverbial edge of our chairs at times feeling every part of her story. In one moment, I was laughing with her, and the next my heart tugged for her as she unravelled her tale. I felt a full spectrum of emotions.
What Casssie gave us was a heartfelt and funny dose of humanity and it filled us right up.
It's a great show.
Reviewed by Jenny St. Germain
The vibe is a masterclass in great storytelling - who knew Economics could be so funny?!
It might be hard to love a fascist, but oh, how easy it is to love How to Love a Fascist.
Cassie Cao is a little dreamboat. I'll confess: when scanning this year's Fringe lineup, I picked her show the moment I read "award-winning standup comedian." I love to laugh, so a hook like that is impossible to resist. Plus, as a Canadian, comedy is basically coded into my DNA, right alongside maple syrup and a constant urge to apologize.
And yes, Cassie is funny. But her show is more than just funny. At first you wonder if she's going to be a set-'em-up, knock-'em-down kind of comedian, but our dear Ms. Cao is anything but. She starts out cute 'n' bubbly - at once charming and disarming. Before you even realize your guard is down, she's swept you into a story that's smart, well-paced, relatable, and deceptively suspenseful.
The magic of her storytelling is how she quietly drops these clever calling cards throughout the set, only to tie them all back together in a beautiful, unexpected finish.
Turns out my funny bone instincts were right about this one. Cassie's incredibly funny, the story is great, and you'll be glad you went.
Heads up: there's a very brief moment of audience participation, but don't panic — it won't be you unless you put your hand up to volunteer.
Performance Details
Age Suitability: All Ages (everyone - including young children and sensitive viewers)
Warnings: None
Venue: Mills Hardware
Genre: Theatre—Comedy, Storytelling/Solo Show
Creator
Cassie Cao
Director
Ashley Comeau
