Laura Ramoso’s hilarious FRANCES: how can a “solo show” feature so many memorable characters?

To start, let’s get out of the way the fact that Laura Ramoso is a phenomenally skilled improvisor-cum-chameleon. And her star is rising fast. 

Even more important is that the popular Tik Tokker is as tenacious as she is talented. 

Ramoso is currently debuting her solo show Frances: A New Comedy Special, directed by Alastair Forbes and with consultation from Ken Hall, for a too-brief run at the Alumnae Theatre. The sold-out opening night was affected by the blackout that hit Toronto’s downtown earlier that afternoon. But undaunted, she proceeded with a turbo-fast version of the show’s tech run-through  . . . seven hours later than scheduled. 

During the resulting delay, Ramoso’s audience waited with good-natured patience. They chatted animatedly in the wood-panelled waiting area and outside the front doors. A few clutched congratulatory bouquets. A buzz of excitement and goodwill was evident throughout. 

And this unanticipated preshow support proved prescient: Frances, which began within an hour of the intended start time, was far more than worth the wait. 

Simply put, Frances is a fast-paced, laugh-out-loud tour de force. Ramoso is a dynamic and fascinating performer. Her solo show is framed by a post-break up phone call. The titular Frances receives a phone call from ex-boyfriend Frank two months after he abruptly broke up with her. He wants “to talk”, she sings, conveying her bewilderment in a musical monologue.  Eventually, Ramoso shifts to present the relationship and break-up from his point of view. In between, she performs a dazzling series of character-driven sketches that showcase her talent for characterization, physical comedy, mime and improv. 

The 75-minute show is diverse yet tight, and Ramoso’s observational satire finds fertile ground for scripted and improvised sketches. All are sharp and witty. Through simple costume changes and shifts in voice and volume, Ramoso is able to metamorphose into a dizzying array of characters who feel inspired by real people. Just some of them are the Italian father competing in a hilarious Italian Father Olympics and the twenty-somethings back from European holidays who speak affected English and turn up their noses at their mundane North American lives. In another sketch, a chance encounter with a loquacious woman on a bus reveals a sordid office affair. The comedy gold is the way she modulates the volume of revelations, dropping into a barely audible whisper for the most salacious and slanderous bits of information – prompting the audience to lean into the close-talking cringe. Still other sketches bring to life the artistic merits of Tik Tok and depict a bevy of aspiring comics vying for fame on open mic night at a local comedy club. 

It is a bravura performance, and some of the best sketches are improvised. All an unsuspecting audience member need do is reveal their name, and Ramoso will instantly transform them into a confidant or loved one. Fixing them in her gaze, she locks an unsuspecting spectator-turned-sketch-partner into an intent, effortlessly freewheeling and consistently uproarious conversation. An outstanding example involves a German mother meeting her daughter’s boyfriend, (an audience member) for the first time. 

Also delightful is how many of Ramoso’s memorable characters make an encore appearance just before the end of the show. It’s no accident that her writing has won awards!

The bio on Ramoso’s website famously states that she came to comedy and improv while watching a Second City Chicago revue just five years ago. By some stroke of serendipity, she knew right then and there that comedy was her future, and she has pursued it since, with more and more success. Ramoso appeared on the recent “The Night Market” episode of the vampire mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows on Hulu. She also produces Laura & Friends, an improv show featuring Canadian comedians. 

But Frances definitively proves the accuracy of her 2017 lightbulb realization. This virtuoso show marks a terrific debut, and Ramoso is truly a performer to watch. Ideally, she will have the opportunity to bring Frances to additional venues, and her next show will soon follow. 

Connect with Ramoso through her website lauraramoso.com, TikTok  and Instagram.

© Arpita Ghosal, SesayArts Magazine, 2022