I must admit I have never seen Kids in the Hall, so I was walking into this show with no context behind the history of Buddy Cole as Scott Thompson took the stage in The Last Gloryhole, an 80 minute solo show that is both a tribute and in some ways a goodbye to his long running creation.

The performance of Thompson is what makes this show so much fun to watch. Even if you are not familiar with Kids in the Hall, you will enjoy Thompson’s wit, comedic timing, connection with the audience and energy. The show is a series of monologues from Buddy Cole as he reflects on his (and, in a lot of ways, Thompson’s) journey as the character grew, challenged and explored. There a more than a couple of envelope-pushing monologues that could raise a few eyebrows given the current global political climate. Because Buddy Cole straddles a position between being in both a marginalized group and also a privileged group, one can flip quickly between going “oooooo” and then “ooooph” in the same breath.

However, as a series of monologues, there are of course some pitfalls that The Last Gloryhole does fall into it. A good performance and funny writing can only do so much for an aimless journey. I felt the show was becoming aimless until we entered the final act, the show’s most compelling arc as we examine the real relationship between Thompson and Buddy Cole. It’s an arc I wish got explored more.

All in all, whether you were a Kids in the Hall superfan or just a theatre goer on a night out, this is an enjoyable watch. It is a love letter to an iconic character that’s had more than their fair share of controversies and eyebrow raising moments (and still does btw). It is a play about exploration and discovering aspects of one’s identity and desires and all that messiness that comes with it. It is about putting on the costume and taking it off. This show might be called The Last Gloryhole but there is still plenty of glory in that hole.

And yes I am standing by that closing.