First Contact: Stand-up Comedy Showcase

On Friday, 30 August, Mouthy Pop-up at Kopli Couture hosted the First Contact Stand-up Showcase, presented by the Alien Comedy Crew, with special guest Matt Davis. 

Sandra Tiitson was in fine form as the evening’s host firing up the sold-out crowd and bouncing off a responsive audience. Blending new and familiar material, Tiitson’s physical comedy is a blast to watch and laugh along with, as are her quick and clever puns, impersonations, and pointed observations.

Matt Davis did double duty, as he did the first set of the showcase right after his solo. An incredibly well-traveled comedian, he weaponizes the famed hospitality of the American South with his crowd work, with a tale to tell from most of the varied home countries represented in the room. His set was as much stand-up comedy as it was a conversation with a stranger where they do most of the talking and you do most of the laughing.

Another side of the American-at-home-abroad experience was shown by Tallinn-based Benjamin Heckscher who took the concept of “dad jokes” to an impressively rage-filled next level. Well past the era of dating and hook-ups, Heckscher’s now sharing the consequences of his actions as he reflects on teaching, parenting, and constructing elaborate revenge fantasies as a result of the first two. With an excellently crafted stage persona (though I don’t doubt he is grumpy and full of rage), his expressions and pacing were fantastic, making his set about a specific era of his experience resonate with a very diverse crowd.

Estonian comic Sten Erik Allikas followed, with theatrical stage presence and quips flying left, right, and center. He diverged from the previous slice-of-life narratives and drew more humor from current events and pop culture, even breaking out his guitar for a musical interlude. His intensity and stage presence make him a comic to watch, even when the audience struggles to match his energy.

The night was closed by Elmar Abbasov, who I’ve now seen three times in short sets during this Fringe, and each time he has incorporated new material into the set and added new insights to his familiar material. That, in addition to his vocal tones and use of timing and inflection, has made each viewing a new experience, his confident skill belying his self-deprecating humor.

On the whole, the Alien Comedy Crew (and guest!) put together an incredibly varied and balanced line-up, with comedians who have the skill and material to keep you engaged regardless of your background or sense of humor. The Tallinn Fringe Festival runs through 18 September, but the Alien Comedy Crew can be caught at showcases and open mics around town throughout the year.

Author: Laurie