2-MAN NO-SHOW
Regular Edition
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.
Manifested by Ken Hall and Isaac Kessler
Toronto, Ontario
45 mins | Ages 18A | Adult language and subject matter
ClownProv
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.
IMPORTANT: Our community includes artists and patrons who are immunocompromised and/or live with chronic health conditions. As a result, all Play the Fool staff, artists, volunteers and patrons are subject to these Health policies.
This is a mask friendly performance. Masking will be optional for the audience while seated in the performance space.
Note that masks are still required in the Backstage Theatre lobby and other indoor Festival areas.
