Chris Grace is best known for his role as Jerry in the NBC sitcom Superstore and will be familiar to fans of improv comedy as a member of the Chicago Improv troupe Baby Wants Candy. His 2023 show, Chris Grace as Scarlett Johansson, made a comeback at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe but has also been re-recorded and made available on streaming service Dropout. TV.
With all that out of the way, why should Starburst readers care about Chris Grace as Scarlett Johansson? Well, it’s a rather fun take on Johannson’s career, as well as Grace’s own. The comedian uses Scarlett Johansson’s story (as well as her willingness to play anything) as a way to meditate on his own life and career. The show explores the differences between Johansson’s career decisions and the challenges Grace has faced as a gay Chinese American comedian. Through the strategic use of props and wigs, Grace dives between the two personas, nailing gag after gag, adding depth each time he puts on the wig.
The Dropout Presents version of the show has some additional polishes. The surreal, nested-self reference moments from the original Fringe are reworked to make sense to a streaming audience, and the performance takes full advantage of a clearer, more dedicated space. It’s arguably funnier simply because it’s a cleaner, more refined version of the show.
Chris Grace as Scarlett Johansson is so funny that it’s exhausting. It’s also intelligent and clever; many stand-up shows try to claim meaning at the end, but Grace has
STARBURST was lucky enough to see this show at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2024 as part of a special screening. It was hosted in the same location as the original 2023 show. (Assembly Room 5, which has something of a reputation for launching careers). Chris Grace and Dropout.TV owner/Host Sam Reich ran a Q&A afterwards, which detailed the show’s journey from the Edinburgh Fringe to video. They provided a fascinating insight into an already phenomenal production.
Chris Grace as Scarlett Johansson is the sort of stand-up comedy show that you show to other comedians to show them how it’s done. Brilliant, clever and modern stuff.
Find out more about Chris Grace here, and learn about Dropout.TV here. Checkout Starburst’s Edinburgh Fringe Dropout inspired wish list here.
