What elevates Mr. Franken above your garden-variety comedian is an erudite wit and a highly developed sense of the absurd.
— The New York Times
Best Alternative to Psychedelic Drugs.
— San Francisco Bay Guardian
Quite simply, he does the smartest comedy I’ve ever seen. I laughed so hard when I discovered his act that my ribs couldn’t contain it all.
— The Oakland Tribune
Franken wanders through a parallel-universe city populated by hipsters who challenge John Milton to poetry slams and crass marketers of women’s empowerment symposia, among other fun-house imaginings.
— The Onion
It’s more acting than stand-up, and no race, minority, nor pet cause is safe. It belongs in some London theater and it’s way too good for cable TV.
— David Downs, Gelf Magazine
Every Will Franken show is like watching a cast of thousands, with a potpourri of voices and characters.
— San Francisco Chronicle
Instead of delivering one-liners, Franken simply becomes these diverse characters, something that a generic stand-up comic would be hard-pressed to replicate.
— San Francisco Herald
A hilarious, dryly intelligent comedian.
— The Reno News and Review
Dear San Francisco,
Come wish Will Franken a grand send-off to the UK this summer (see below) by attending his latest one-man opus, Elementary, My Dear Watson, It Was Crack at the historic Purple Onion in North Beach on June the 7th. Aside from a brand-new crop of hilarious material, this show serves a three-fold purpose: a bon voyage party for his inaugural journey to Edinburgh; a live DVD-taping for posterity (and commerce); and the revelation of Will Franken as comedy impresario as tonight's show will be opened by two of his up-and-coming students, Richard Savarte and Sam Pond, who have been stamped with the Will Franken Seal of Absurdist Approval. Tickets are already selling here: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/246620
AND OF COURSE. . .
Dear United Kingdom,
Will Franken's one-man show Things We Did Before Reality is coming to Edinburgh this August courtesy of Fringe Management, LLC and Paul Provenza!
VENUE: Just the Tonic At The Caves/Just Up The Road
ADDRESS: 8-12 Niddry Street South, Edinburgh, EH1 1NS
DATES: August 2nd - 26th (off August 14th)
TIME: 10:35pm - 11:35pm nightly
PRICES: £5 Aug 2nd & 3rd (previews); £11 (£10) (weekends) £10 (£9) (mon-thur)
"Let us go forward together" -- Winston Churchill
Thursday, May 31st
A Night of Recovery Comedy
The Purple Onion
140 Columbus Avenue (at Pacific)
San Francisco, CA; 7pm; $15
Friday, June 1st
"Hand To Mouth" at the Dark Room
The Dark Room
2263 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA; 10pm; $10 suggested
Thursday, June 7th
Latest One-Man Show/DVD Taping/Bon Voyage To UK Party: "Elementary, My Dear Watson, It Was Crack"
The Purple Onion
140 Columbus Avenue
San Francisco, CA; 9pm; $20; tickets already on sale here: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/246620
Saturday, June 9th
Special Will Franken comedy/music night with live piano (see Will in an intimate setting, tinkling the ivories and making you laugh/cry simultaneously)
The Bazaar Cafe
5927 California Street
San Francisco, CA; 7pm
Wednesday, June 27th
Headlining The Romane Event
The Makeout Room
3225 22nd Street
San Francisco, CA; 8pm; $7 in advance/$10 at the door
Tuesday, August 2nd through Sunday, August 26th (day off August 14th)
Will Franken's One-Man Show Comes To Scotland: "Things We Did Before Reality"
Just the Tonic At The Caves/Just Up The Road
8-12 Niddry Street South,
Edinburgh, EH1 1nS; 22:35-23:35 nightly
£5 August 2nd & 3rd (previews); £11/£10 (weekends); £10/£9 (Mon-Thur)
Podcasts
Listen to Will's new podcast series, Strollers as well as the original Things We Did Before Reality.
Television
Watch Will's performance on England's The World Stands Up Programme!
“Dear NBC, I would like to audition for Last Comic Standing, but where should I go? What should I do? What does it mean to audition for Last Comic Standing? Will there be water there at the place I audition? What if I get sick the day of the audition? I have been divorced, is that okay? Signed Josh–I mean, Will Franken.”
After I sent the e-mail back, I waited and waited and waited. I looked at the computer screen for minutes, then hours, until the very next day when, right in front of my eyes–A NEW E-MAIL APPEARED!!!!
Radio
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That’s Not The Reason I’m Doing This
$20.00 (includes domestic shipping)
Ever the nomadic and oftentimes undefinable entertainer — a comedy club here, a rock club there — Will Franken the wanderer found a home for the fullest expression of his talents to date in the theatre. More...
Concert To Benefit The Victims Of My Father
$20.00 (includes domestic shipping)
This live CD contains some of Will's best-known pieces. Laugh along with audiences as Will frolics and cavorts from character to character like a caged animal finally released into his natural habitat: the stage. More...
Putting Smiles On The Faces Of Dead People
$18.00 (includes domestic shipping)
In the summer of 1997, a close friend convinced Will Franken to take some student loan money and purchase a small home recording studio. The result, over the course of two years — between Missouri and New York and North Carolina--was a 19 hour, 17 CD box set — of which Putting Smiles On The Faces Of Dead People is but one in a series of best-of volumes from that period. This 72 minute compilation contains some of Will's personal favorites, many of which — owing to the level of studio complexity inherent in purely audio comedy — he has never performed live. The studio Will is different from the live Will — even more cerebral, even more surreal — but still hilarious.More...
