By far the most memorable performance I watched in this year’s Fringe, Stamptown wears its crown and it does so eclectically. Part comedy, part performance, full-time circus acts, this show is not conservative in its use of sound cues as well as fire. It is hard to begin to describe what exactly this show is, so I’ll do so with its main act: Jack Tucker. I came across the comedian through a video of him fake shooting people from the stage while sound effects seemingly came out of nowhere. Since then, I have followed him not-too-closely and was excited to see what he brought to the Fringe. It was exactly what I had expected and I could not be happier about it.
Stamptown is a show that changed most nights it was performed. Starring different acrobats, mimes, clowns, character actors, as well as an aerial team who had their own solo shows in the festival, all of these impressive performances were perfectly cushioned by Jack Tucker’s borderline Dadaist humour. Outfitted in a suit which has underwear, toy guns, handcuffs, and a counter all hanging for it, Tucker’s loose tie and open shirt combo gives the audience the first indication that this is no standard comedy show. The comedian tests the limits of the audience, oftentimes repeating the same exact gag until the joke is no longer funny yet somehow the audience still laughs. This is Tucker’s genius: no moment is too uncomfortable, in fact, when this imaginary line of comfort is passed, more comedy can arise from it.
There is also an undoubtedly dedicated team that gives this show the scaffolding to still be an incredibly impressive performance. Lasting around 80 minutes, the technical team of Stamptown–lights, sound, safety–has to make sure that Tucker’s fast-paced routine is matched at par with the appropriate environment. A specific example that truly surprised me due to the detailed coordination needed was when the invited character of Mr. Cardboard was repeatedly trying to tell a story–which cued generic moody music to play–with chasing a rogue flashlight–being moved to not fall on Mr. Cardboard–while being in a completely darkened room. This is just one of the moments which elevated Stamptown into something beyond a comedy show.
Jack Tucker is truly paving the way for a new type of comedy. From the sorts of visionary comics such as Andy Kauffman, Tucker is able to go against the grain and thus make humour out of spaces few have gone to before. Stamptown was the true highlight of Fringe 2026 for me.
Stamptown has now finished its run at Fringe 2026.
Image credits to Stamptown Press Release.
