A Cross-Country Reality Dating Show

Category: stage 135

Ontario performance artist Dave Cave brings his one-man show Win A Date With Dave Cave to the Charlotte Street Arts Centre, August 2. 

Who wouldn’t want to win a date with Dave Cave? Frederictonians will have their chance to take part in this one-of-a-kind comedy performance game show when Cave hits the Charlotte Street Arts Centre stage this week. 

On stage participation is not mandatory but it it certainly encouraged. 

We asked Cave to give us a rundown of how the evening will unfold. 

Can you tell us a bit about the audience participation aspect of your show? 

The audience will enter the venue, and those interested will fill out an application.  The entire show is based on the premise of reality television, from initial casting to final winner.  People can come and just watch the show if they want, they don’t have to apply.  (Men and women are welcome to apply!)  

I’ll go through applications on stage, and invite people on stage for an initial meeting.  I’ll then narrow it down to a top ten.  The top ten will then go through individual challenges, mini-dates and eliminations.  There will be a winner and I will go on a date with them.

What made you decide to make this a focus of your performance? 

The art world looks down on reality TV… somehow people have decided theatre is smarter than reality television, but we’ve all seen some very dumb theatre.  I am so confused about dating and relationships.  People tell me to put myself out there, and I’m an extremist, so here we are!  

Many of my shows are based on unpleasant source material…. I say I do theatrical BDSM.  The audience is consenting to witness an uncomfortable and embarrassing process.   Dating can bring up weird, unpleasant and strange emotions for people, especially when we have to put our insides outside.   In previous cities, participants are equally confused as me, participants are looking for some public forum to gain clarity on relationships.  Why do we date?  Why do we have relationships?  

So many people are incredibly nervous when it comes to getting on stage.  That must result in some serious awkward comedy.

Wowie zowie!  The show zigs and zags from hilarity to deafening moments of silence.  The feedback I’ve gotten is that people laugh because they can’t believe what they are seeing.  Like if you saw a dog eat a baby bird.  

It’s genuinely tough to eliminate people.  I’m dealing with real people’s emotions and I’m always surprised how attached I get to people, especially when it’s down to the top three or four.

Dave Cave is a performance artist who blends comedy, audience participation and reality show elements. Previous shows include “Can Everyone In The Audience Tell Me What’s Wrong With Me?”, debuting at Peterborough Comedy Festival. Dave adapted his zine “Everybody Moon Jump” into a musical, which debuted at Canzine Festival of Independent Artists in Toronto. His other musicals include, “Madonna, What The Hell: A Worst Hit Musical” and “Lindsay Lohan’s ‘Speak’: A Classic Album Comes to Life”.

Win A Date With Dave Cave | Thursday August 2 | Charlotte Street Arts Centre | View Event

 

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