Antoine Feval
London, 1896. Barnaby Gibbs is an incurable optimist, Sherlock Holmes fan, and a man who knows he’s not particularly good at anything. One night, while checking on a friend's empty house, he encounters a stranger, dressed entirely in black, holding a bag full of stolen belongings and attempting to write a poem about sapphires. There is only one conclusion a reasonable man could come to: this is the notorious cat burglar/con-man known as the Rhyming Bandit! However, Barnaby is not a reasonable man, and when the stranger explains he is actually the famous detective Antoine Feval, a new crime-fighting duo is born.

The Further Adventures of Antoine Feval
It is 1897, and Barnaby Gibbs has found himself in the only role in which a man of his incredible shortcomings can achieve anything in this world – as partner to a brilliant detective. But even this may be taken from him as they encounter a deadly conspiracy, an evil mastermind and a plot that could change the fate of the British Empire, or in other words, the world.

So there are the plots
...but if you read the reviews you'll notice that there's a lot more to it than that. These shows are all about being there, with tangents and improv and a complete lack of respect for the rules of theatre.

Where've these shows been?
Antoine Feval premiered at the 2005 Winnipeg Fringe Festival, where it sold out every seat available for the whole run and won Best of Fest. It then played at the Edmonton Fringe and did so well it was held over. The following year it was a surprise hit at the Toronto Fringe, and since then I've played it around Canada and a little beyond, including in New Zealand, the Revolutions festival in New Mexico and for the annual meeting of the Arthur Conan Doyle Society. In 2009 I performed the show as part of the Just For Laughs Festival, having won the Best Comedy at the Montreal Fringe.

The Further Adventures of Antoine Feval was first performed at the 2008 Toronto Fringe Festival, and then at the Winnipeg Fringe. In 2009 it sold every available seat in its Edmonton Fringe run and was held over. Next up is the 2010 Montreal Fringe.

Antoine Feval

“Absolutely priceless… Sherlockians will be in heaven. Everyone else will be here, laughing hard.”
Edmonton Journal

“Chris Gibbs is such an effortlessly natural, off-the-cuff comedian that it's easy to overlook what a superb playwright he is. Arguably the year’s most perfect script.”
Vue Weekly, Edmonton

“Gibbs’ performance as the witless and self-deprecating Barnaby is near flawless. His martini-dry wit is characteristically sharp, in both script and performance, and his comic timing is beautiful.”
CBC

“One of the most cleverly written and performed shows I've ever seen at the Fringe.”
Eye Magazine, Toronto

“Chris Gibbs wins over the audience while telling a mystery story with twists, turns, and plenty of gadzooks moments.”
Now Magazine, Toronto

The Further Adventures of Antoine Feval

“Gibbs is a top-level performer, seamlessly switching from smart wordplay, to snappy ad libs. This is one sequel that works."
(5 stars)
CBC

“hilarious… his distinctive dry humour and deadpan delivery is limitless”
(5 stars)
Winnipeg Free Press

"a sly, stylish, and highly literate little gem...The writing is very funny. And the way it comes to life, culminating in a climactic action sequence through east end London, has a dizzy intricacy that will make you laugh very hard, but afraid to laugh too loud in case you miss something.”
(5 stars)
Edmonton Journal

August 10, Pointe au Baril Community Centre, Pointe au Baril, ON

November 5, Victoria Jubilee Hall, Walkerton, ON www.vjhall.on.ca

January 21 2012, THEOP, Deep River, ON

February 16, 2012, Chilliwack Cultural Centre, Chilliwack, BC
Time 8PM, Tickets:www.chilliwackculturalcentre.ca;
Centre Box Office:T:604-391-SHOW (7469) boxoffice@chilliwackculturalcentre.ca

February 17, 2012, Surrey Arts Centre, Surrey, BC, www.surrey.ca

February 18, 2012, Creekside Theatre Productions, Lake Country, BC, www.creeksidetheatre.com