Canadian comedy duo Naomi Snieckus and Matt Baram bring Big Stuff to the Arts Club Theatre Company Olympic Village Stage at the BMO Theatre Centre until November 1st.
Coming off a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, winning the International Fringe Encore Series Edinburgh Prize, real-life couple Snieckus and Baram, with co-creator, director Kat Sadler (Yaga), now bring their intimate, interactive, improvisational storytelling to Vancouver audiences. The privileged few who fill the cozy Olympic Village Stage are in for a unique treat each night, with audience interactions, and the duo’s chemistry and improv skills, honed at Second City, no two shows are the same.
Big Stuff draws attention to life’s baggage and the feelings and memories associated with it. Snieckus and Baram’s sharp improv comedy storytelling lulls the viewer into an expectation of a fun and frivolous production, only to pull all sorts of emotions out of our hearts and minds. As the couple welcome the audience into the journey through their life and love, they debate the power of the physical objects that loved ones leave behind and their emotional ties, or lack of, to them. Naomi wants to keep everything with each item holding specific memories. Matt wants to throw it all away, retaining the memories in his heart. While their clutter, memories and loss are explored, audience members volunteer their own ‘stuff’ and their stories becoming part of the show. Big Stuff strikes a chord with everyone present for an evening of fast-past comedy about relationships, grief and the stuff, both physical and metaphorical, that we carry through life.
Do we discard it, keeping memories in our hearts? Do we hold on tightly, allowing the tangible objects to become avatars for our sentiments? Each audience member will answer those questions differently as everyone has their own definitions of how to deal with life and loss. Some will leave feeling uplifted, others will be overcome with emotions but everyone will realize however you handle the big stuff is the right way.
Just like the show, no two situations are the same. See Big Stuff more than once, you won’t be disappointed, each time you’ll find a fresh, funny, sentimental trip through life. Big Stuff with Naomi Snieckus and Matt Baram runs until November 1, 2026 at the Arts Club Olympic Village Stage at the BMO Theatre Centre. To find out more of the little stuff about Big Stuff and for tickets, visit artsclub.com