{"data":{"id":"1a9b331a-05cd-4690-997c-3379289947d1","originKind":"SYNDICATED","title":"Fringe Review: The Taint Brothers riotous send-up of male stereotypes, stigma","summary":"The Taint Brothers\n\n4.5 stars (Out of 5)\n\nStage 1 Westbury Theatre, Fringe Theatre Arts Barns, 10330 84 Ave.\n\nIs The Taint Brothers a series of penis and butt jokes? Yes. Is it a playful skewering of hyper-masculine stereotypes, while also trying to address the stigma of talking about men’s health and mental health? Also yes.\n\nIs it hilarious? You betcha\n\nA show like The Taint Brothers is hard to review. In part, this is because a lot of the humour works on the novelty or the unexpectedness of any given segment and describing it in too much detail would defeat the purpose. And you want to go into this fresh.\n\nOn the flipside, I can tell you that you’re either going to love the show or hate the show.\n\nI personally would put myself in the camp who loved the show. Firstly, because the “brothers” in question, Tony Adams and Rod Peter Jr., are talented comedians and agile physical performers who bring life to all of their work with an athleticism that’s frankly pretty impressive.\n\nSecondly, because of the outlandish humor, and yes, there are jokes about urination and butt-maxxing, and sex, and penises.\n\nIt is sometimes weird. It is sometimes a little blue. I got my fill of men in thongs for the year, and I laughed my butt off.\n\nI was appropriately tickled.\n\nRelated Fringe Review: Featuring Loretta a rollicking good time\n\nFringe Review: Hilarious and harrowing, Short King a healer for all ages\n\nBookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the news you need to know — add EdmontonJournal.com and EdmontonSun.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here.\n\nYou can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun.","url":"https://edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/edmonton-fringe-review-the-taint-brothers","imageUrl":"https://smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital/edmontonjournal/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/taintbrothers_304752679.jpeg","publishedAt":"2026-08-17T21:28:26.000Z","sourceLabel":"Edmonton Journal Music","tags":["Entertainment","Festivals","Local Arts","Theatre"],"authorName":"Dave Breakenridge","contentHtml":"<img alt=\"The Taint Brothers, at the Edmonton Fringe Festival.\" src=\"https://smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital/edmontonjournal/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/taintbrothers_304752679.jpeg\" title=\"The Taint Brothers, at the Edmonton Fringe Festival.\" /><p> <strong>The Taint Brothers</strong> </p><p> <strong>4.5 stars (Out of 5)</strong> </p><p> <strong>Stage 1 Westbury Theatre, Fringe Theatre Arts Barns, 10330 84 Ave.</strong> </p><p> Is The Taint Brothers a series of penis and butt jokes? Yes. Is it a playful skewering of hyper-masculine stereotypes, while also trying to address the stigma of talking about men’s health and mental health? Also yes. </p><p> Is it hilarious? You betcha </p><p> A show like The Taint Brothers is hard to review. In part, this is because a lot of the humour works on the novelty or the unexpectedness of any given segment and describing it in too much detail would defeat the purpose. And you want to go into this fresh. </p><p> On the flipside, I can tell you that you’re either going to love the show or hate the show. </p><p> I personally would put myself in the camp who loved the show. Firstly, because the “brothers” in question, Tony Adams and Rod Peter Jr., are talented comedians and agile physical performers who bring life to all of their work with an athleticism that’s frankly pretty impressive. </p><p> Secondly, because of the outlandish humor, and yes, there are jokes about urination and butt-maxxing, and sex, and penises.  </p><p> It is sometimes weird. It is sometimes a little blue. I got my fill of men in thongs for the year, and I laughed my butt off.  </p><p> I was appropriately tickled.  </p><h2>Related</h2><ul><li><a href=\"https://edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/edmonton-fringe-review-featuring-loretta\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Fringe Review: Featuring Loretta a rollicking good time</a></li><li><a href=\"https://edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/theatre/fringe-review-hilarious-and-harrowing-short-king-a-healer-for-all-ages\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Fringe Review: Hilarious and harrowing, Short King a healer for all ages</a></li></ul><p> <strong>Bookmark our website and support our journalism:</strong><em>Don’t miss the news you need to know — add <a href=\"http://edmontonjournal.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">EdmontonJournal.com</a> and <a href=\"http://edmontonsun.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">EdmontonSun.com</a> to your bookmarks and <a href=\"https://edmontonjournal.com/newsletters/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">sign up for our newsletters here.</a></em> </p><p> <em>You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: <a href=\"https://edmontonjournal.com/subscribe/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">The Edmonton Journal</a> | <a href=\"https://edmontonsun.com/subscribe/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">The Edmonton Sun.</a></em> </p>","slug":"fringe-review-the-taint-brothers-riotous-send-up-of-male-stereotypes-stigma","publicPath":"/news/2026-08-17-fringe-review-the-taint-brothers-riotous-send-up-of-male-stereotypes-stigma"}}