Company: HCMD Productions

Genre: Comedy — Stand-up

Venue: 9 — ​Eckhardt-Gramatté Hall, University of Winnipeg

I was sold on this buffet of stand-up when I saw the line-up. Local talents Vanessa Macrae, Jane Testar, and Ashley Burdett make and keep their comedy promises.

The opening set went to Vanessa MacRae. Struggling to find her stand-up groove, she had a great moment as she wrestled with Gloria Estefan's surname... EstefOn? EstevAn? Laugh-out-loud silliness.

Jane Testar was monkey-in-the-middle. A little laboured, her best moment was pure exaltation. After a lifetime of thin-seeking, Testar realized that as a size 14 she is now the size zero of the big-girl crowd. Her malicious delight gave me life.

The stand-out stand up of The Humorists was Ashley Burdett. Although she trods some well-worn paths like break-ups and singledom, she really finds the fresh funny. Highlights included scream-singing to Adele, Fat Knees MacGee, and the crucial information that best friends DO NOT look each other in the eyes while pooping.

A middling first show but they'll get there.