{"data":{"id":"16e5cba2-faa3-4d76-a5c4-cdc97a43e7b6","originKind":"SYNDICATED","title":"Fringe Review: Shrute and Tungsta offer strange laughs but light premise","summary":"Shrute and Tungsta\n\n3.5 stars (Out of 5)\n\nStage 3, Studio Theatre, Fringe Arts Barns, 10330 84 Ave.\n\nTwo things can be true.\n\nShrute and Tungsta, as played by Harper Oud and Aidan Collins, respectively, are a hilariously odd duo. The pair had the Saturday night audience laughing riotously.\n\nAnd their show, also called Shrute and Tungsta feels like a series of wild comedic segments held together by a thin narrative.\n\nBut all along the way there will be laughs. And head-scratching. But mostly laughs.\n\nOur titular characters are denizens of the basement bathroom in the iconic German techno club Berghain.\n\nThere, they make their own music, the underground of the underground, indulge in antics sexual and otherwise, and keep worms as pets.\n\nOne day, a record label comes calling; Shrute wants to sign, Tungsta is a hard no. Of course their world is torn apart.\n\nAmid all this, you have pulsing techno (more shows need pulsing techno, TBH), delightfully bizarre routines that play to the crowd (“Plastic Shrute” got some of the biggest reactions from the crowd), and a show that is intentionally abrasive. Jarring, sure, but entertaining.\n\nOud and Collins are nimble performers, and their German accents, not subtle, add to the cartoonish quality of the characters.\n\nThis would fall under the “if you want something weird, or outside the norm, give this a try” type of show.\n\nAnd that’s what the festival thrives on.\n\n[related_links /\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/fringe-review-shrute-and-tungsta-offer-strange-laughs-but-light-premise","imageUrl":"https://smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital/edmontonjournal/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/shrute_304752617.jpg","publishedAt":"2026-08-18T22:33:56.000Z","sourceLabel":"Edmonton Journal Music","tags":["Entertainment","Festivals","Local Arts","Theatre"],"authorName":"Dave Breakenridge","contentHtml":"<img alt=\"Shrute and Tungsta at the Edmonton Fringe Festival.\" src=\"https://smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital/edmontonjournal/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/shrute_304752617.jpg\" title=\"Shrute and Tungsta at the Edmonton Fringe Festival.\" /><p> <strong>Shrute and Tungsta</strong> </p><p> <strong>3.5 stars (Out of 5)</strong> </p><p> <strong>Stage 3, Studio Theatre, Fringe Arts Barns, 10330 84 Ave.</strong> </p><p> Two things can be true. </p><p> Shrute and Tungsta, as played by Harper Oud and Aidan Collins, respectively, are a hilariously odd duo. The pair had the Saturday night audience laughing riotously. </p><p> And their show, also called Shrute and Tungsta feels like a series of wild comedic segments held together by a thin narrative. </p><p> But all along the way there will be laughs. And head-scratching. But mostly laughs. </p><p> Our titular characters are denizens of the basement bathroom in the iconic German techno club Berghain. </p><p> There, they make their own music, the underground of the underground, indulge in antics sexual and otherwise, and keep worms as pets. </p><p> One day, a record label comes calling; Shrute wants to sign, Tungsta is a hard no. Of course their world is torn apart. </p><p> Amid all this, you have pulsing techno (more shows need pulsing techno, TBH), delightfully bizarre routines that play to the crowd (“Plastic Shrute” got some of the biggest reactions from the crowd), and a show that is intentionally abrasive. Jarring, sure, but entertaining. </p><p> Oud and Collins are nimble performers, and their German accents, not subtle, add to the cartoonish quality of the characters. </p><p> This would fall under the “if you want something weird, or outside the norm, give this a try” type of show. </p><p> And that’s what the festival thrives on. </p><p> [related_links / </p><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-shrute-and-tungsta-offer-strange-laughs-but-light-premise","publicPath":"/news/2026-08-18-fringe-review-shrute-and-tungsta-offer-strange-laughs-but-light-premise"}}