The former Chick’n Swell Daniel Grenier delivers a new silly and funny solo show

Daniel Grenier repeats it a few times in his new show: he is 50 years old. But it is sometimes difficult to realize it as the comedian has fun like a small child on stage with his dozens of wacky toys found in flea markets. His willfully silly fun at the Club Soda premiere yesterday was visibly contagious to the audience, who laughed heartily all evening.

• Read also: Daniel Grenier lived on $250 a month after the Chick’n Swell ended

Daniel Grenier is a funny bug and that’s precisely what makes him so endearing. In an environment where the comedians who make classic stand-up “one microphone, one stool” number in the tens, even hundreds, the former Chick’n Swell has its own completely offbeat and original universe.

His humor is sometimes absurd, as we have seen with his comedy trio for 23 years, but he is also very accessible. From the outset, question that everyone is on the same page, Daniel Grenier wants to explain it even more simply: his humor, “it’s nonsense”. He then shows us visually that we must disconnect our brain to fully appreciate the show. Message understood!

• Listen to the interview with Daniel Grenier, folk singer-songwriter and comedian on the Sophie Durocher show via QUB-radio :

At Club Soda on Wednesday evening, we could see several close friends of the comedian who came to encourage him. There were his former Chick’n Swell companions (Francis Cloutier and Ghyslain Dufresne), as well as his former roommates from the National School of Humor (Martin Matte and Martin Perizzolo). Other artists have also walked the “yellow carpet”, such as Guillaume Pineault, Jonathan Roberge, Simon Delisle, David Beaucage, and Coco Belliveau.

The legend Claude Crest

Before Daniel Grenier made his appearance, it was none other than Claude Crest, the old comic character created by Maxime Gervais (Les Pic-Bois), who was in charge of the first part. “I am 92 years old. I’ve been doing comedy for over 70 years. I know there are comedians in the room tonight. Watch and learn!” he launched.

For about fifteen minutes, Crest told anecdotes without tail or head on the world of show business. A frankly funny first part which perfectly set the table for the arrival of Daniel Grenier.

Without fanfare, the star comedian of the evening took to the stage at Club Soda with his guitar. “Thank you very much, everyone, for being here. I’m doing well? I will start quietly and at some point the chain will land. Not true, she landed a long time ago. Have a good trip!”

For a little over an hour, Daniel Grenier gave us gags, each more silly than the next, almost always accompanied by objects. He thus used dolls, plastic animals, a mini-motorbike and so on.

Not for a young audience

However, this should not be mistaken. Even if his humor is often good-natured, Daniel Grenier punctuates his show with many “trash” gags that are not aimed at a young audience. Parents who would like to bring their children to see YELLOW should therefore be warned.

During the show, some of Daniel Grenier’s gags didn’t always work, but the comedian’s enthusiasm and good humor were so great that the audience still laughed with him.

Since the vast majority of gags are visual, it is essential to be seated near the stage. At the back of the Club Soda floor, we lost a few jokes that used objects that were too small.

Daniel Grenier does not hide it. He voluntarily goes “from cock to donkey” in his show. And that’s probably what makes it so charming. Yes, a director could surely frame the proposal a little better, but we might risk losing the color (yellow) that makes Daniel Grenier a comedian who stands out from his peers.

Daniel Grenier will be performing on May 17 and 18 at the Théâtre Petit Champlain in Quebec. For all dates: danielgrenier.ca.