If you’re looking for some laughs this weekend, Jeff Leeson has you covered.
The internationally renowned standup comedian from London, Ont. is making a stop at the Sault Community Theatre Centre this Saturday on his Unscripted Tour for a show he promises will be unlike any other.
Why? Because the bulk of his set is improvisation and crowd work.
@jeffleesoncomedy La Dee Da! #standup #crowdwork #comedian #funny #standupcomedy #jokes ♬ original sound - jeffleesonComedy
“It’s more than just a standup show where you’re listening to someone tell you jokes — this is a real experience,” he told SooToday. “It’s completely out of my hands what people are going to say and the direction we’re going. I want the audience to really feel like that was a unique show.”
For the past 25 years, Leeson has made it a mission to bring the unexpected and evoke laughter from small towns and big cities alike.
With 216,000 followers on Facebook and another 188,000 on TikTok, it’s safe to say he’s at the top of his game right now.
Like most established comedians, the road to getting here wasn’t easy — but Leeson knew he had a strong connection to the craft at a young age.
“When I was a kid, there were two shows that were on TV every day: Comedy at Club 54 and Just for Laughs," he said. "I was just enthralled by this artform. These grown men and women standing on a stage, and all they were doing was making a room full of people laugh.”
“I remember distinctly finding out at 12 years old they got paid to do this," he added. "Before that, my thought on a job was that people hated their jobs. I couldn’t believe you could get paid to stand on a stage and make people happy.”
Leeson entered the comedy scene when he was just 14.
His mom would pick him up from high school at the end of the day, and they would travel to nearby cities like Toronto, Hamilton, and Niagara Falls where he would perform a quick five-minute set at various amateur nights and open mics.
“It was a very unique high school experience,” he said. “But just before that, my mom didn’t want me to go to a comedy club when I was so young because she had been to one and saw somebody get brutally heckled. So, she got our friends and family together where I could throw my own show in a comfortable environment to see if I liked it.”
“I was hooked right away,” he added.
As a teenager, Leeson continued to work on his craft at talent shows and various venues around southern Ontario. After graduating high school, he went on his first Ontario tour — visiting every small-town bar and club that would have him.
But it wasn’t until about 15 years ago when Leeson discovered that he could turn his passion into a full-time career.
“I ended up getting let go from a previous job, and I made the decision that I’m not going to change my hours at all but start changing what I’m doing," he said. "By the end of the first week, I had booked probably $2,000 worth of shows, which was more than I was making with my previous company.”
“That was it for me,” he added. “That was the last time I had to go to a ‘real job.’ There’s obviously ups and downs, but it was a real turning point for me. As long as you put the effort in, you can do whatever you want in this business.”
While he’s enjoyed sharing a number of jokes and stories through his traditional standup over the years, Leeson’s bread and butter has been the art of improv.
Asking the audience off-the-cuff questions and having unscripted live conversations with attendees allows the London comedian to take each show down a countless number of humorous and distinctive routes each night.
“I try to create a very unique and personal experience for the audience, so when they leave, they know that was specific to this crowd on this night in this town and can never be duplicated again,” he explained.
“The show is being created right in front of your eyes,” he continued. “They’re not bits that I try night after night that I know they work; this is like a tightrope walk where this could go off the rails really quickly. One or two of the wrong heckles and we’re going in a weird direction suddenly.”
While he’s been to cities of all sizes throughout his career, Leeson admitted his favourite shows to do are in small towns — particularly ones like the Sault where he’s had great reception from the audience, including his most recent visit to The Grand Theatre in 2018.
“I always love coming up here,” he said. “Anytime I’ve been up to the Sault to do shows, the crowds have been so much fun. We want to provide them with the best night we possibly can.”
“I’ve turned a lot of comics on to going to those smaller markets and doing shows there because it’s just an amazing feeling,” he added. “People in small towns are so appreciative of us being there, and it’s so mutual to us.”
Readers can catch Jeff Leeson perform live at the Sault Community Theatre Centre on Sept. 7 at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $46 and are available for purchase by clicking here.