Duncan is a boring guy, living a simple life and working at a bread factory. Then he stumbles upon Brenda, a sad young woman who’s about to end her life. Convinced he’s fallen in love, Duncan strikes up a desperate deal: if he can get her to laugh, she'll give life another shot, but if he can’t, he must help her go through with her plan.

The catch? Duncan isn’t funny. At all. So he borrows Pat, his second-favourite comedian, to help him come up with the perfect routine. But a bad break-up has left Pat in no mood to teach a lonely loser the difference between knock-knock jokes and schadenfreude while chained to a typewriter.

A tragicomedy of three misfits, Punch Up navigates a hostage situation and a life-or-death comedy lesson to show just how far we’ll go for a laugh.

Directed by

Asha Bittenbender

Featuring

Michael Gwynne-Thompson as Duncan
Josh Schroeder as Pat
Brenna Symanski as Brenda

Stage Manager, Lighting Designer, and Sound Designer

Paisley Schroeder

Assistant Stage Manager

Viv Hobus-Blanchard

Set Designer and Propmaster

Felix O’Laney

Costumer

Brenna Symanski

Production Manager

Josh Schroeder

Production Assistant

Michael Gwynne-Thompson

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Content advisory: Mature themes, coarse language, and discussion of suicide.

Our collective is committed to producing shows that are accessible to all. If cost of admission is a barrier to attending this show, please contact tickets@fuzzysoul.ca.

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Fuzzy Soul Collective plays, works, and performs on the territories of Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council. We are grateful for their ongoing stewardship of this land, and the generous sharing of their arts and culture. Shä̀w níthän.

Thank you to our supporters

We are grateful for the financial support provided by The Government of Yukon, Department of Tourism and Culture Arts Fund; promotional and production support from our friends at The Guild Hall; and media support from DJR Creative.

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PUNCH UP was first produced by Theatre Brouhaha at the Toronto Fringe Festival in July, 2014. PUNCH UP is staged by arrangement with Emma Laird, GGA, www.ggagency.ca.