Words: Berlyn Lee
4 Stars

Pigeons fans rejoice!

Toussaint Douglass has brought a hilarious and heart-warming hour to anyone looking for accessible material about everyone’s favourite street bird.

Douglass, a new member of a black bird watching club, greets the audience by peering at them through binoculars. There are three bread rolls balanced on a stool. A plastic pigeon taped to a remote controlled car is a constant companion on the stage. The show wasn’t allowed to begin until one brave audience member walked onto the stage, grabbed a bread roll, and was able to hit the bird as it sped around the room.

Not a friend of the avian dumpster diver? Don’t worry, it’s not all pigeon faire! Douglass talks about his family, partner, and new-born son in between bird jokes. He laments about his desire to die alone in a world where the cost of living crisis requires you to live with multiple people. He’s never lived with no less than five people, including his 87 year old grandmother, an immigrant from the Caribbean. As a new father, he questions his ability to be a father when his own wasn’t really around (though he does make an appearance in the show as an old-timey boxing puppet “Kev”) and maybe dying alone isn’t really what he wants anymore.

Accessible Pigeon Material is laugh out loud, charming, great time for both pigeon lovers and haters alike. You even leave with a “support our pigeons” pin that shows Winkie The Pigeon receiving a medal of honour for saving lives in WWII!

Toussaint Douglass: Accessible Pigeon Material
Pleasance Courtyard – Bunker One
19:25
Aug 1st – 24th