ON STAGE
What: Weaksauce and Other Stories
Where: Phoenix Theatre at the University of Victoria
When: Through Oct. 19
Tickets: $28 from the Phoenix Theatre box office (250-721-8000)
When he was a fine arts student at the University of Victoria, Sam Mullins would approach onstage time at the school鈥檚 Phoenix Theatre with his stomach in knots. Though that was a decade ago, Mullins was surprised to find the uneasiness associated with his short career as a student actor was still there when he stepped back onto the Phoenix Theatre stage this week.
鈥淵ou could fill a volcano with the amount of anxiety I felt walking into that building again,鈥� Mullins said after a recent rehearsal. 鈥淚 was only in one mainstage production on that stage when I was in school, but that was the most nervous I鈥檝e ever been. In retrospect, it鈥檚 funny to think how nervous I was because I was a non-factor in the play. But I couldn鈥檛 sleep at night, because I was so scared.鈥�
The Toronto-based comedy writer is expected to be in fine form over the next 10 days, even though he鈥檒l be alone on stage for 11 performances of Weaksauce and Other Stories at the Phoenix Theatre through Oct. 19.
Mullins wrote the monologues, jokes and asides about everything from fatherhood to first romances, and is performing the piece as part of the university鈥檚 Spotlight on Alumni series. 鈥淲ith solo performances, there is no team to let down, and that gives me more confidence,鈥� Mullins, who graduated from UVic in 2008, said with a laugh.
鈥淚f I do a terrible job, I鈥檓 just ruining it for me, and I鈥檓 OK with that.鈥�
Mullins once called Weaksauce a comedy about 鈥渇irst times, second chances and third wheels.鈥�
The one-man show, which premi猫red at the 91原创 Fringe in 2012, has been re-imagined four times in the years since, and is now a staple of his bustling career as a storyteller.
Stories he has told during appearances on The Moth, This American Life and CBC鈥檚 Definitely Not the Opera have roots in storytelling festivals across North America, which is where he goes to debut the material that will eventually populate his one-man shows. For his performances at UVic, however, he will pair Weaksauce with new material about fatherhood he wrote specifically for the occasion.
鈥淎fter doing all of this tried-and-tested material I鈥檝e done everywhere, it鈥檚 kind of fun to throw something in that makes me utterly terrified,鈥� he said.
One new story involves a rat infestation at his Toronto home, and inspired his wife to invoke comparisons with Canada鈥檚 most revered storyteller.
鈥淪he said it sounds like Stuart McLean, but in a good way,鈥� Mullins said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 totally a Dave and Morley story. If Dave and Morley got rats, that鈥檚 what this would be 鈥� only with swear words.鈥�
Storytelling is somewhat of a lost art, in part because of the limited opportunities, Mullins said. Of late, he has balanced work as a staff writer on CBC鈥檚 Air Farce and collaborations with two of his former UVic classmates, Peter Carlone and Chris Wilson of Peter N鈥� Chris, with his duties as a stay-at-home dad.
He is preparing to re-enter the workforce, and will do so with all of his skills at the ready. 鈥淚鈥檓 the friend that everybody sends the sketch premise to for an extra two jokes. I鈥檓 definitely a joke writer. My main talent is as a turn-of-phraser, a capital-J joke writer. Storyteller, comedian, comedy writer 鈥� whatever. I鈥檓 happy to do it all.鈥�
