Toiley T. Paper: Roll Model!
Pink Venue, find showtimes
The world of Hollywood hot-shots is full of glitz, glamour and bullshit. Toiley T. Paper proudly proclaims his alliance with this lifestyle, sans any bullshit that he may have already wiped up.
Toiley T. Paper: Roll Model! is a 40-minute cabaret-style show in the Pink Venue with more influences from South Park than classic vaudeville. Created by and starring Grant Baciocco and John B. deHaas, the show combines popular music, anecdotes and improv into a fun performance that will especially resonate with the theatre “in” crowd.
Toiley T. Paper is a “minor celebrity” toilet roll in denial of his obscure status in the world of show business. He finds joy in berating his accompanist, deHaas, and acting like the divas he tries to emulate. The puppet of Toiley itself is remarkably expressive and very clearly communicates when the character is emotional – as he often is. Baciocco deftly maneuvers Toiley to the point where his motions look fluid and unhindered. deHaas provides banter and serves to keep Toiley on track to talk about all the subjects he has lined up.
By far, the best acts in the shows were the songs with re-written lyrics appropriate for a toilet roll, as well as the Q&A section at the end. Make sure you ask him his opinion of one-ply toilet paper Some of the transitions between Toiley’s bits felt clunky, and made the show feel a bit thrown together. The wires laying all across the stage were slightly distracting as well – perhaps something that will be fixed after media preview week?
Toiley’s charisma and the laughs that his stand-up garner overshadow the few technical flaws, however, and make this show one worth rolling into.
Read all of Watermark’s coverage of the 2016 Orlando Fringe Theatre Festival here.
