REVIEW: This year’s TOsketchfest paid tribute to the endless possibilities of sketch comedy

The energy in the Toronto comedy scene is dynamic. When it comes to improv, there are big players like Bad Dog Theatre and the Second City that program iconic shows year-round. Popular stand-ups like Michael Che and Josh Johnson have upcoming stops in Toronto as part of North American tours. And in the sketch comedy world there’s…. 

Wait, what’s that? What exactly is sketch comedy, you ask?

I think I’m in a good position to answer that, since last week, I attended the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival, colloquially known as TOsketchfest. On its website, TOsketchfest describes sketch comedy as “a live, writer-performer-driven theatrical form that combines text, movement, character, musicality, and timing with political and social observation. It is a scripted, rehearsed, and refined form of live performance.” This definition includes clown, musical comedy, solo character work, and even certain forms of drag. 

TOsketchfest is the city’s longest-running comedy festival, founded in 2005. The 2026 edition lasted 12 days, boasted more than 250 artists from across Canada and the U.S., and spanned four venues, including The Theatre Centre, where I spent a day immersing in all things sketch.

The good vibes were palpable, with the festival setting up an extra bar on The Theatre Centre’s second floor, where they also positioned a sizable step-and-repeat for photo-ops. Since I’m a bit of a comedy fan, I previously attended TOsketchfest in 2022 and though it seemed mildly popular then, I was happily surprised to find that the community of comedy lovers had grown exponentially since then. The Franco Boni Theatre was bustling with bodies as I entered my first show, a hilarious double-bill of the troupes Boy Crazy and Potato Potato. 

Boy Crazy is a four-person sketch show written by New Yorkers Liv Drury and Orly Lewittes, consisting of a chaotic stream of skits that have the same energy as my melatonin dreams. I was incredibly impressed by the smart use of pre-recorded elements which were projected on a screen that added another comedic layer to the live performance. In a memorable sketch, the focus starts on the performers in an intense courtroom battle, but soon shifts to the stenographer’s Google search history, projected in real time on the screen, including searches such as “How to spell Wednesday” and “Can you go to jail for doing a bad job?” 

On stage next was Potato Potato, a local group who has played at TOsketchfest in previous years. Their sketches were very Toronto-core, which I always heavily appreciate, ranging from Doug Ford’s fear of bicycles to a Chicago-style number about the different ministries of the Ontario government. With their intricate musical parodies and choreographed dances, you can tell the troupe is made up of seasoned comedians.

My last show of the night was a sold-out performance of Sex T-Rex’s critically acclaimed Crime After Crime (After Crime), which unlike the offerings in the double bill, is one continuous story (rather than individual sketches). Sex T-Rex combines theatre and sketch to create an extremely imaginative, action-packed, parody thriller that had me captivated for the entire show. What the four writer-performers accomplish with ordinary objects, some lights, and a handful of costumes is both clever and inspiring. The cast creates multiple different settings with simple props and pure imagination — like using red ribbons to imitate blood, or coat hangers to mimic spaceships. I left the theatre with a lot of laughs and inspiration about what’s possible on a stage.

While scouring the TOsketchfest website, I found that alongside comedy shows, the festival also includes an offering of workshops. Though I am not a comedian (or a performer of any kind, really), for the sake of research I attended one of the workshops: Cold Read Skills for Auditions with Etan Muskat, the artistic director of Second City. I was very nervous when the workshop started (because I hate auditioning — but will do anything for an article). But the people in the class were all welcoming, including Muskat himself, and it didn’t take long for me to feel at ease. Folks at different skill levels from all over North America joined together for three hours to learn a little bit about comedy. Muskat was a grounded and personable teacher and gave actionable, insightful directions. I was heartbroken to leave the class early to catch my next show, and will remember to use the Sketch Fest Planner next time. (Yes, there’s a planner that can help you create an itinerary — the festival team has thought of everything!)

So again I ask: what exactly is sketch comedy? 

After the festival, I am left with the belief that the possibilities of sketch comedy are endless. It can be a fully live performance, it can have recorded elements, it can be musical, and it can even be a 90-minute theatre piece. Most of it is funny, but some of it can be dramatic. It’s scripted, but there can be improvised bits. Really, it’s a genre that defies genre. And luckily, in Toronto, there are so many talented people working in the form that constantly redefine it, keep it alive, and keep it relevant.

The 2026 Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival ran from March 4 to 15. More information is available here.

Melissa Avalos wrote this review as part of Page Turn, a professional development network for emerging arts writers, funded by the Canada Council for the Arts and administered by Neworld Theatre.

Intermission reviews are independent and unrelated to Intermission’s partnered content. Learn more about Intermission’s partnership model here.

WRITTEN BY

Melissa Avalos

Melissa is a multidisciplinary artist, young reviewer, box office aficionado, and Toronto-born Filipina-Latina woman. She studied at The University of Toronto and earned a degree in biochemistry and linguistics, but her love of theatre outweighed her need for a job in a stable industry. She wants to change the culture of Toronto theatre to be more inclusive and accessible. Her biggest goal is to become a producer of the arts, or to win Jeopardy (whichever comes first).

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