Brendan Scannell: The Abyss

I loved, loved, loved it. It is nearly impossible to mix darkness and vulnerability with humor, and Brendan navigated the tonal shifts expertly. Especially in a piece that is based on real life experience, you feel like you come away knowing the performer you just watched personally. ... full review

Comedy with a lot of soul by way of those family stories we find hard to talk about... full review

Rarely can a show balance humor and heartbreak so effortlessly, but The Abyss does so with such skill! Brendan crafts a beautiful show that has you laughing one second and bawling the next. His attention to pacing and tension in masterful. And the framework of a submersible therapy session is a fantastic way to disarm audiences who may think they're just seeing a run-of-the-mill one-man show. Loved loved loved! You have to check this before it inevitably blows up during it's Edinburgh Fringe run this summer! ... full review

Brendan takes us on a journey downward in an attempt to find a salve for his sinking feeling. A very funny and raw show exploring self-help culture, mental illness, sobriety and complex family dynamics. The premise of the Abyss is so strong I felt completely entrenched in his world from the beginning. Expertly crafted writing & smart jokes. A truly unique and refreshing solo show! ... full review

“Anyone else not reading?” Brendan’s show is packed with jokes, some of which caught me so off guard that I was laughing like a teenage girl at a slumber party. He has a skill for tossing off a surprising joke in a sea of jokes that will jostle you loose. The story was well crafted and lead to an ending that affected me deeply. I cried. It’s an incredibly vulnerable piece. The humor is as much a shield as it is disarming. RECOMMEND!... full review

INCREDIBLE. Unreal. Perfect. Funny. Very touching. Just....GO!... full review

I was completely floored by this performance!!! It’s equal parts raw storytelling and laugh out loud jokes. The way Brendan expertly takes the audience on this journey through his and his families triumphs and traumas is nothing short of heroic. He seamlessly weaves the audience through laughter and tears and back to laughter again creating that specific kind of magic that makes live theatre so important. This WILL be one of those Fringe shows that pops off so I highly recommend seeing it before it sells out! And don’t you want to be one of the people who can say they saw it at The Fringe before Netflix inevitably buys it????... full review

Brendan is both an incredible actor and a prolific writer. The jokes were top notch and the storytelling was compelling and heartbreaking. ... full review

A hilarious, personal and powerful show. The storytelling and jokes were brilliant and led to an emotional gut punch that I'm still sitting with days later. ... full review

MASTERFUL. Brendan is a seasoned story teller and performer. He takes you through the hour with such vivid images and great acting. I loved this show and we’re all better for having seen it. ... full review