What I liked
The show is like a well-balanced cocktail: not too sweet, not too bitter, not too spicy…just right. Mike pivots nomadically from self-reflection to distant destinations to the current state of politics and society with aplomb. Sure, it might not appeal to everyone but inherent in his message is to keep an open mind (even as to the very tall, clumsy and less well-endowed Pivotal Nomad).
What I didn't like
While the journey evokes thoughts of Garrison Keillor at his heights, a few of the turns in the script were a bit jumpy and sudden. In a way, that keeps you on your toes more than distracts but I like a smoother road than one with the occasional pothole.
My overall impression
I attended the June 24 performance. Unlike Mr. Blaha’s previous three editions of his one-man, one-Mike (see what I did there) shows, this one was neither as scatalogical as his professorial takes on sexual double entendres nor as “Road to Morocco”-ish as his Digital Nomad travelogue of 2025. This year’s Pivotal Nomad was, while still hilarious in parts, more insightful of our globetrotting guide and darker in his assessment of the current state of world and national affairs. All in a delightful roller coaster of an hour that makes you laugh, cringe and think about our host, our times and our world. Recommend this highly in Hollywood, Prague, Edinburgh or wherever the Fringe unravels next.
