Saudade Onions: Live Reading of a Stranger’s Diary
By West Kester
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Company Name: West Kester
City/State: Kansas City MO
Genre: Comedy, Storyteller, Theatre
Ratings: Mature Audiences Only
Warnings: Adult Language, Sexual Content, mentions of drugs/alcohol/suicide
Venue: The Bird Comedy Theater
Show Times:
7:30 PM Saturday, July 20
9:00 PM Sunday, July 21
9:00 PM Wednesday, July 24
6:00 PM Friday, July 26
4:30 PM Saturday, July 27
Description:
As a penance for two decades of nosiness, Kansas City comedian West Kester shares the real, unedited entries of their diaries and journals. From years of awkward adolescence to their current entries, as recent as yesterday, West invites audiences to revel in their own mortification, and maybe find familiarity in the open and honest (and melodramatic) thoughts and feelings of a total stranger.
Cast/Crew:
Director - Kacy Barta
Past Fringe Shows:
The Bird Comedy Players, Improvisor, 2023
KC Improv, Improvisor, 2022
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OUR SPONSORS
Missouri Arts Council
Theater League
Arts KC
NTDF
henderson
VMA
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Great show! Emotional and funny and dark and relatable. Plus, Bo Burnham kinda has a cameo or two.
if you too are an overly self-aware zillenial that spent most of your time on tumblr, you will enjoy every second of this show. and if that does not describe you, you will still enjoy it because it is the perfect balance of raw vulnerability and comedy.
Nothing is more vulnerable than reading from your own journal. The honesty and authenticity is on full display, in which the audience finds solace. I could secretly read their fanfiction all day, and it provides just the right amount of levity to tie it all into such a perfect little package.
Incredible show! Vulnerable, honest, funny, and insightful.
It takes a special talent to perfectly blend raw emotion with a touch of humor, and West does it effortlessly. The candid readings transform everyday moments into a profound and relatable experience. West’s ability to connect with the audience through honest and often hilarious entries makes “Saudade Onions” a unique and unforgettable show. This is storytelling at its finest—don’t miss it!
West has pure, open energy in this show. There are moments that are clearly hard to read aloud but West masterfully propels us between their hard emotional truths and hilarious fan fiction (both coming from an honest core).
West offers a glance into their life and delivers a graceful introspection into the human experience by contrasting delicate topics with comedic takes. Their honesty is admirable and makes this show an enriching experience full of self-reflective insights.
I was so inspired by this show and grateful for West’s braveness! I felt the whole spectrum of emotion with this one. If you’re looking for a vulnerable, story-driven work of art, go get your booty in a seat for Saudade Onions!
This show is the epitome of what the fringe festival was meant to be. A wild swing by an artist that not only wants to be seen, but needs to be. West’s performance, along with Kacy’s adept direction and consideration culminates in an experience that highlights the artistic mind of a troubled, yet comedic soul that you don’t want to miss. Examining the vulnerable, comedic, and often times heart breaking view of the modern day psyche, West has created an influential piece of art that will keep your head nodding in unity while common traumas that we all face are brought to light and explored in a way that changes the perception of the audience. Come for the Bo Burnham fan fic embarrassment, leave knowing the door will always be there, but you have 1,000 reasons not to open it. IYKYK.
A show that puts it out there. If you value truth and honesty this one is for you! A poignant dive into the inside of someone’s mind. West spoke every word with clarity and confidence, even in moments that were vulnerable and bare. Congrats on a great show!
A heartfelt show that weaves a deep and vulnerable narrative of their inner thoughts and feelings through time. Beautifully and artistically done. A must-watch!
This is the kind of heartfelt, honest introspection that Fringe was made for. One of the boldest things that a comedian can do is get serious. West removes the mask and gets introspective in this solo show takes us beneath the surface and examines why it is that we seek outside validation. Sometimes, self-love is difficult, and the journey towards liking who we see in the mirror is a long and complicated one. The show has plenty of funny moments, but they never deflect or sell out the honesty of the performance. West, I’m proud of you!
Dear Diary,
Today I saw the most intriguing Fringe production of the year (and you know as well as I do that I’ve seen A LOT of Fringe). I know I can be honest with you. Going into this, I was worried about dying from 3rd party embarrassment while hearing someone’s deepest darkest cringiest secrets. We all remember that sleepover with Ashley P. and Madison L. when they found Megan W.’s diary, and I just can’t go through that again. But wouldn’t you know it, instead of being embarrassed for that person, I found myself in solidarity with them. They spoke to an entire room of people with a shining confidence coated by nervous vulnerability that captivated the room. The words—so rehearsed, so methodical, so known—made just as much of an impact on West hearing them for the hundredth time as it did the audience hearing them for the first. West and I are very different people. The covers of our diaries are probably even more so, and yet, their most vulnerable inner thoughts are universal. Maybe the words are different, but the feelings, the sense of burden, the exhaustion and exhilaration of life fills everyone’s diaries just the same. I was deeply moved and inspired. But anyone who thinks they can read my diary will have to pry it from my cold, dead hands.
XOXO,
Me
West’s show was a refreshing breath of fresh air amongst the wild chaos that is Fringe. Their authenticity, vulnerability, and great comedic timing left me feeling light and positive despite how relatable the darkest parts of the show were.
The Bo Burnham fan fiction was perfectly sprinkled in – though it was entertaining enough to be a whole Fringe show by itself.
West did a great job of displaying common (but rarely talked about) human experiences such as outgrowing friendships, seeing “the door”, body dysmorphia, middle school drama/trauma, and hating the presence of your ex in the spaces you enjoy. At times it was so relatable that it almost felt as though my own inner thoughts and diaries were being read on stage…which was both frightening and comforting.
West calls this show “penance for years of nosiness.” I wonder if the penance we all pay for watching their show is finding the courage to create and display art as authentic as Saudade Onions (or at least start talking about our lives and thoughts in a more authentic way with others.)
Congratulations on such a successful show! We would love to see and hear more. Care to start your own diary reading podcast?