Post Comedy Theatre: A flicker of insanity

STORY BY NATALIA CAMARENA

There is no one word that can really fully define actor, mime, stand-up comedian, juggler and ventriloquist Robert Post. He truly is a one-man variety show capable of entertaining old and young alike.

To encounter Post rehearsing for one of his shows is to think he’s insane and quite frankly that wouldn’t be far off.

The Ohio native’s boisterous personality coupled with bold glasses and his hair standing on end oddly resembles that of a younger Albert Einstein, and Post is certainly brilliant in his own way.

Stand-up comedian Robert Post looking far more serious than usual. (Photography by George C. Anderson)

On Oct. 7, Post took to the stage at the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts for a two-hour show.

He was greeted with a quiet round of applause, followed by momentary uncertainty, but as the night continued the crowd showed its appreciation more and more.

It was only a matter of time before he was strutting across stage as a middle-aged French woman, at which point the crowd couldn’t contain themselves.

Post is known for his take on miming, juggling and physical comedy and to those in their early 20s that may not be terribly intriguing for a night out.

But, he has a unique talent for capturing the attention of people of all ages. Incorporated into his show are video clips from his travels on the road.

Taking some traditional ideas of comedy and mixing it with technology puts an entirely different spin on the material. One in particular included his travels to a gopher museum in Torrington, Alta. The video included rather unique footage of stuffed dressed gophers, the curator and a series of Post’s many facial expressions.

Robert Post in character during for one of his skits in his performance. (Photography by Eric Albrecht)

The show didn’t stop with French women and gopher movies; it had just a little bit of everything. Within a matter of seconds an old pair of pajamas was flying around stage doing the tango, his hand became the scarf of a pilot flapping in the wind and a single black board was a car, a door and a staircase.

In no time at all Post managed to appeal to our inner child and pluck the strings of our imagination. His show was captivating and challenging, as it required a step back from reality to enjoy all that it offered.

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Unlike many popular comedians, there was not an ounce of vulgarity in his show. Children were thoroughly delighted with the way he contorted his face and his voice, and the way he emulated all of their favorite characters.

The older people in the audience were charmed by his fluidity and his engagement with the crowd.

Through his chat with some audience members he explained how he had broken his finger and may drop a few things during his juggling performance. He did, but it seemed to make his successes all the more enjoyable.

For all of those that still have a little child in them and a touch of insanity, Post is definitely worth watching.