CLICK HERE FOR RECENT AUDIENCE REVIEWS CLICK ON PLAY FOR REVIEWS OF THAT PLAY
1 Quandary Place
Abundance
ADVENTURES OF A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER
Barroom Philosophers
Border Crossings
Class Notes
Embarrassment & Death
The Falls of Vincent Millay
Found and Lost: Goals for 2002
Frisco Fred's Cabaret!
Fuck You Cancer
Great Hymn of Thanksgiving / Conversation
Storm
The Hasheesh Eater
Heavy Metal Playground
HER KIND: The Life & Poetry of Anne
Sexton
i hate my friends
Jesus Rant
Kiss My Booth
Korean Badass
Low Hanging Fruit
Monkey Poet Stand-Up!
Organic Boxed Chicken Stock
parts is parts:
Party of One
RM3
The Sewers
Shopping as a Spiritual Path
Spotless
Stetson Manifesto
A Strange Black Passion
Super Glossy!
TeleMongol
Terrible Voice
Tesla's White Pigeon
Turn of the Screw
You Go First
Play: Monkey Poet Stand-Up!
Reviewer: He who shall not be named
5 Stars
Take the in your face style of Lenny Bruce. Add the intelligence of Eddie
Izzard. Mix in the raw emotion and outrage towards a dark unyeilding world
of Allan Ginsberg. A dash of George Carlin's comic timing. A pinch of Robin
Williams' energy. And you have MONKEY POET STAND-UP!
Play: Monkey Poet Stand up
Reviewer: Brett
5 Stars
5 stars! 2 Thumbs up! No thrown bottles!
Help Matt Panesh overcome that Monkey Poet
Stand Up on his back by going to see his show (his therapist says it's highly
therapeutic for him to be doing FRINGE)by going to see his show. But be
warned - watching him jones from Monkey Poet Stand Up on stage is not pretty.
Lots of poetry,
stand up comedy, music, fully clothed & intelligent women (all 2 of
them), & trained monkeys that will steal the money out of your wallets/purses
when the lights go down. No this is not Matt Panesh writing his own review,
but a real person
(I know what you're thinking, "what is reality?") who's actually
seen his show. So get off your dead ass, pony up your 9$ & go! Okay
I'm done.
Play: Monkey Poet Stand Up!
Reviewer: Miz Rowdy
5 Stars
"Monkey Poet Stand Up!" is AWESOME!!! This performer needs all
the support he can get after having a trash can of bottles thrown at him
on stage (whoever did that needs to be shot). One of my favorite Fringe
shows I've seen, his poetry his witty, raw, touching, and insightful. Got
to love a guy who drinks on stage, he makes you feel like you're hanging
out with him in some pub in England. Cheers!
Play: Monkey Poet Stand-up!
Reviewer: John
4 Stars
A performer well at ease on-stage and very matter-of-fact about his art
and person. Matt's poems about sex and death are bold, funny and engaging.
And while the songs and political-themed poems do not offer quite as much
of an original voice, they are not without merit and were received warmly
by the audience.
Play: Monkey Poet Stand-Up
Reviewer: Kate
5 Stars
Matt is a truly talented performer. And when you layer in the fact that
he is writing poetry, (that often rhymes!) with a political, emotional and
social commentary it becomes nothing short of amazing. His irreverent attitude
and fun laid back stage presence make him a joy to watch.
At the very beginning, I was wary. He seemed to be trying very hard. But, the moment his first poem began, he sank fully into his reality and kept us with him for the rest of the show...and this was at 10pm at night! I didn't look at my watch once. (which says a LOT)
His poetry is wonderful, and though his 4 chord songs don't even begin to compare, they create a nice juxtaposition. Oh, and follow his advice when he says to check out Dike Omeje.
Play: Monkey Poet Stand Up
Reviewer: Rick
5 Stars
GREAT SHOW! Funny, funny, funny, then he hits you with something real and
personal (or political). Passionate and powerful, this guy is an amazing
performer- I'd go to watch him eat toast.
Play: Monkey Poet Stand-Up
Reviewer: J. Lee Vocque (Barroom Philosophers)
5 Stars
I was just bummed out I didn't have a trash can to throw. He was outstanding.
One of my two favorites of this year's Fringe Fest so far. Besides being
a terrific poet, he is a very funny individual and can play a mean guitar
(all four chords and all). This is one of THE don't miss shows of the Fringe.
Play: monkey poet
Reviewer: tom
4 Stars
bold, unapologetic, a spirited offering by this iconoclastic lad from manchester,
i loved his rough style, politically incorrect rhymes, scruffy appearance
and his smiles in the face of projectiles launched from uptight san francisco
audience members. pure fringe, pure delight, you should go but don't take
your republican grandma or your children
Play: Monkey Poet Stand Up
Reviewer: yawza
5 Stars
The most fun I've had at the Fringe , even without any bottle throwing incidents.I felt more energized after his performance than any thing else I've seen and this show has moved to the top of my list. Definite Best of the Fringe and definite must see show.
Play: Monkey Poet Stand-Up
Reviewer: Emily Morwen
5 Stars
So honest, charming, hilarious and incredibly intelligent is this gifted
performer, writer, poet. He is edgy and could at first seem offensive (I'm
guessing because I saw opening night when a man stormed out and threw a
glass-filled trash can on stage!) but if you listen to the whole piece instead
of simply picking out trigger words, there is no doubt that this man is
giving us something that is insightful, honest, sad, entertaining, hilarious-cause-its-true,
an above all carrying an undeniable message of peace . On top of being a
wonderful show, the way that he handled the "assault" was so graceful
and made the audience love him even more. But all outbursts aside, he deserved
the standing ovation that he got! See this talent before he goes back to
England!
Play: Monkey Poet Stand Up
Reviewer: Holly Up On Poppy
5 Stars
I saw this the night of the infamous Troll Trashbin Toss (some dude got
very upset about who-knows-what, screamed a few "Fuck Yous" at
our MPSU and then hurled a trash bin full of beer bottles at the stage)
and have to first give kudos to Matt Panesh, our MPSU, for putting his balls
on the line to receive such a crazy reaction! Other than that, the poetry
is, as promised and CLEARLY outlined in his description, not for the faint
of heart (take note, trashbin-tossing trolls). The poems are not long so
if you have a short attention span, this is your show. Panesh tackles subjects
that are not new to the stage, but does so with a brevity and hence a barbed
wit. See it if you like Lenny Bruce or wished Bill Hicks had a sensitive
side.
Play: Monkey Poet Stand Up
Reviewer: Rachel
4 Stars
Matt has developed a show so well put together, and ACTUALLY FUNNY that
I was engaged the full hour! He hits on topics of religion, sex and illness
so there is something different to relate to all the time. You're never
bored for a second. Poetry is an art form not explored too often anymore
it is refreshing to hear and see someone put it out there and show the world.
- In the performance I saw there was a disturbance by and angry audience
member and I just have to say Matt held his composure on stage SO well and
kept the audience in his grasp even though I am sure he was shaken he DIDN'T
let it show which, to me at least is a sign of a good actor. - Also he thanks
his tech crew DURING his show MULTIPLE times how RAD is that? This show
is a must see!
Play: Monkey Poet Stand Up!
Reviewer: Mia Paschal
5 Stars
I thought that the "Very Moral" pull quote in Matt Panesh's show
description was possibly a joke. But it isn't, because he is, fiercely so,
and he does address and attack subjects from sex to love to plastic surgery
to politics with sly, sharp, scathing humor. Also, he has a wonderful rapport
with the audience, and a strong command of the stage. Overall, a brilliant
show.
PS. His smooth recovery after an unhinged audience member hurled invective and a garbage can with beer bottles onstage - not a staged gimmick, unfortunately - was impressive. Luckily no one was hurt, and luckily, the show went on. I'd give Matt another five stars for showing true grace (he didn't even swear at the guy, much less go after him) and professionalism
Play: Monkey Poet Stand-up!
Reviewer: Mr. Waldorf
5 Stars
I completely and enthusiastically endorse "Monkey Poet Stand-up!"
at the Exit. It's a solo show featuring Manchester-born-bred-and-accented
Matt Pradesh mixing poems, songs and anecdotes in an absolutely hilarious
mixture. As he walks on the stage, two or three beers in hand, he says "You
do know you've come to a poetry show, right? No fooking refunds!".
His poems are short, pithy rhymes on sex, religion, politics using profanity
and a caustic wit to keep the crowd laughing and clapping.
The performance last night was bizarrely punctuated by one furious heckler, who might have been a laughable afterthought when he stormed out (after interrupting the show to shout at Pradesh), but he came storming back in and threw a full garbage can (with multiple beer bottles in it) at the performer (over the heads of audience members). The guy had to be forcibly ejected by festival staff.
But hey, when the performer can get a strong reaction out of an audience member, even negative, he must be doing something right. Pradesh was a little shaken but kept going, kept making the rest of the (quite appreciative) crowd laugh, and ended on a great high. He walked off to a standing ovation at the end.
Early candidate for Best of the Fringe. He was also the toast of the opening night party after the strange escapade with the heckler..
Play: Monkey Poet Stand Up!
Reviewer: Lena & Chris
4 Stars
Clever, funny, amusing. This poet is a great performer. Liked the "stepping
out of the poem now" asides, as well as the caustic humor mixed in
with a charming gentleness.
Play: Monkey Poet
Reviewer: Lucia Cox
5 Stars
I saw this show in Manchester before Matt went on tour to Canada and the
USA. IT MUST NOT BE MISSED. A mix between Bill Hicks hate for all things
bland, mediocre and unjust and Ginsberg's tortured 'Howl'. Poet and comedian
both, Monkey Poet lights up the stage with soul and song. See him before
he dies.