On November 20th, the Cat’s Eye will serve as a host location for the first installment of “Adorable,” a comedy show organized and hosted by UofT students and comics Kelly DeHoop, Lucas Loizou, and Celeste Yim
According to DeHoop, “Adorable” will ideally become a monthly comedy night on campus, intended to “bridge the gap between the local comedy scene and campus life.”
DeHoop, Loizou, and Yim all met on campus through the UC Follies Sketch troupe, and have experience in performing and organizing comedy events – Yim was involved in putting on two shows with the Trinity College Comedy Collective during the 2014-2015 school year. Yim’s experience in running the TCCC shows last year surprised her with the energetic and positive response from the student body. This is the first show the three have put on together, and all hope use “Adorable” to cultivate their own voices while sharing their love of comedy with each other and the student body.
“It’s difficult to guarantee stage time for yourself,” explains DeHoop, “and it’s difficult not having a student space.”
One of the main priorities for the organizers was to guarantee a safe space for enjoyment of comedy. Yim clarifies, “we would never back an offensive comic.” All three acknowledge that as young people and minorities, it’s often too easy to feel marginalized and alienated by the comedy scene. The group prioritized on creating a space that they (and their audience) can feel comfortable in – “which is why we called it ‘Adorable,’” says DeHoop.
For this show, the organizers booked mostly local comics from outside UofT – the full lineup consists of comedians Jess Beaulieu, Jhanelle Dennis, James Elias Island, Lauren Mitchell, with Yim herself completing the lineup. Loizou will act as the host for this show, with the three alternating roles between performing and hosting in future installments. Loizou points out the unusual aspect of the show consisting primarily of female acts, something the group was committed to when putting on this show. Yim also points to the rarity of a comedy show that commits to providing a safe space, citing The Crimson Wave as one of the only other local comedy shows that offers such a commitment.
Loizou verifies that every performer he approached was excited by the prospect of participating in the campus show, with the only rejections resulting from scheduling conflicts. However, this indicates that several interested acts remain for a next round of “Adorable” to come next semester, or in years to come.
All three organizers are hopeful that the event will introduce others on campus to an art form they love, and may introduce them to other interested comedians on campus. DeHoop says that ideally, the event will introduce students to the idea of comedy as an art form, “rather than just a white guy with a mic,” and hopes to introduce people to a different kind of voice in comedy.
Aside from other priorities, DeHoop, Loizou, and Yim are largely interested in putting on a fun show with their friends. Says Loizou, “we want to cultivate our voices together. Stand-up can be isolating and being together makes it more helpful.” DeHoop hopes that “Adorable” might become a “campus cult thing that people care about.” Yim concludes with the idea that above all else, she wants “Adorable” to create a “safe space for friends and something they love doing.”
“Adorable” is set for November 20th at 8:15 pm, with free admission for all audience members.
