Vancouver based comic making debut appearance in Strathmore

By John Watson Local Journalism initiative Reporter

Making his debut performance in Strathmore, Ed Hill is set to perform at Mike’s Bar and Grill with a follow-up to his previous comedy special, Candy and Smiley. 

Hill is currently touring across North America to explore new material for an upcoming special, which has yet to begin filming. 

“I like to run it in as many places as possible, since different places may have different interpretations and reactions to it and I want to make sure that it remains consistent,” said Hill. “I really don’t have an agenda when I go to places, I just look at where I haven’t been and trying to go there. Strathmore is one of those places I’ve never been, so I said, hey, let’s do it.”

Hill said the material he is exploring to talk about in his next special focuses on his relationships with female figures in his life, including his wife, mother and grandmother. 

“It’s introspective. I’m not a political comic, I’m not an observational comic, I’m not a shock comic, it’s all really from within. I dig into the internal experience and try to relay that to everybody else,” he said. “I’m not going to sugar coat it, it’s very difficult to look within at your insecurities, your fears, your triumphs, your struggles and trying to make those things funny. There’s a lot of pain, but there’s also a lot of joy.”

Hill added that response to his new material has thus far been similar to the talking points themselves – “an emotional rollercoaster.” He said throughout the new show he wishes for the audience to laugh and be entertained, but also experience times of tragedy and levity. 

Alongside speaking about the women close to him, Hill said he also talks about the effect his cultural and national heritage has had for him. 

“The first special was really an exploration of me as a synthesis of my parents and the realization that, for my whole life, I’ve been trying not to be them and then just to realize I’ve become who they are, just as one,” he said. “Taiwan is my father and Canada is my mother and most of the values I learned was actually here in this country. That’s also another thing I talk about because people look at me and they say I look Taiwanese, but my values are all Canadian.”

Hill is scheduled to perform at Mike’s Bar and Grill on March 11 from 8 to 10 p.m.