by (unrated, work in progress)
Seaton Smith’s Fringe debut is an intimate affair, not just because he’s telling stories about his family and his relationships, but even more so because of the cramped quarters of the Pleasance bunker he’s performing in this month. Perhaps that’s why Smith is treating this more like a club set than a proper show, allowing each night’s audience to dictate where his material takes him.
But because of this, it also means you might not many or even any of the stories in the accompanying press release for “Trauma Bonding.” Do you knock Smith for that, though?
Smith has toured arenas opening for John Mulaney (Smith also co-starred a decade ago in Mulaney’s short-lived Fox sitcom, Mulaney), and used that experience to record his own half-hour live from Madison Square Garden three summers ago. I look forward to hearing him dig deeper into the deeply personal stories that might make up “Trauma Bonding.” But for now, be prepared for just bonding with Smith for an hour, hold the trauma. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing for a comedy show.
Seaton Smith: Trauma Bonding plays Pleasance Bunker Three through Aug. 24, 2025.
