Five Stars
Vancouver stand-up comic TJ Dawe arrives in Winnipeg boasting a remarkable resume. A favourite of the Fringe Circuit, Dawe's one-man play Labrador won him the Just for Laughs award at the Montreal Fringe, an honour that earned him a berth in the internationally renowned comedy festival of the same name. After witnessing Labrador firsthand, it's not hard to figure out what all the excitement is about.
Dawe's comic tale centres on the real-life adventure he experienced on a children's theatre tour of Labrador and Newfoundland. Dawe's mind is active, often running with the throttle wide-open from plot to tangent and back again with lightning speed.
But what might separate Dawe from the garden variety comic is his range. There are times when Dawe applies the brakes and changes tone so deftly, the audience is left stunned and silent. There is a depth to his wise-cracking that is intoxicating.
Dan Lett
Winnipeg Free Press
July 25, 2001
