Whatever you think Jordan Brookes’ Fontanelle is, it isn’t. Unless, of course, you think it’s one eighth of a musical about the Titanic and one singular original 9/11 joke. Then it’s exactly what you think it is.
Emerging on stage in a shrunken sailor suit, complete with itty bitty captain’s hat bafflingly adhered to his extremely bald head, Jordan Brookes hooks his audience in on the first joke, and refuses to let go. His presence on stage is equal parts menacing and inviting– you don’t want to look away for one second, but your greatest fear is making eye contact with him for one second too long.
Fontanelle is both casually presented and obviously meticulously thought out. Every punchline lands, and the show is paced so well that I could’ve watched a whole second hour. He doesn’t venture too much into audience participation, but when he does it is so well-contained that you always somehow feel like the audience has done and said exactly what Brookes planned.
Watching Fontanelle was like imagining a separate future where Pennywise decided not to kill children, but instead became mildly obsessed with the Titanic. I left the show wanting to see more from Jordan Brookes, and with the distinct feeling that Fontanelle is one of the funniest things I’ve seen at the fringe, ever.
This show is weird enough to entice those who come to the fringe for avant-garde comedy, traditional enough for those who want a stand-up adjacent hour, and dirty enough for those who are just in it for a few well timed up-the-bum jokes. Basically, it’s amazing, and everyone should try to fit it in to their schedule during the final week of the festival.
Fontanelle is on at 20:30 in Pleasance’s Queen Dome until 25 August.
Buy tickets here.
Image by Sojo Mackenzie courtesy of the Pleasance Press Office.