SF Sketchfest 2020

“Happy Place” is the new-one-man show from Adam Cayton-Holland, loosely adapted for stage from his critically acclaimed memoir, “Tragedy Plus Time” (Simon & Schuster)

“This is Cayton-Holland’s heartbreaking work of genius . . . an unforgettable read.” – Booklist

“‘Tragedy Plus Time’ absolutely gutted me—then it filled me with hope. I hate that Adam has this story to tell, but he tells it so beautifully.” – Tig Notaro

Cayton-Holland was plugging away in the world of stand-up, steadily climbing the comedy ladder, when the unthinkable happened: his little sister Lydia killed herself. His best friend, his earliest collaborator, the funniest person he knew, gone, in an instant. Life, as he knew it, was forever changed. His family was devastated. They had been there for Lydia every step of the way. They all thought she was going to get through this. But she didn’t. Instead the rug was pulled out from underneath them. Suddenly, everything felt like a lie. Adam’s “Happy Place” was leveled. He quit stand-up. Nothing felt funny anymore. Just getting out of bed was hard. Through time, plenty of therapy, and constant soul-searching, eventually Adam was able to put one foot in front of the other, to find joy in comedy again. It was, after all, a “Happy Place” that both he and Lydia had cherished. Never shying away from the tough subject matter of mental illness, depression and suicide, “Happy Place” is a darkly funny exploration of going through the unimaginable, and learning to find your sense of humor again. Funny, sad, touching and real, “Happy Place” never condescends to the viewer through and-then-comedy-saved-my-life bullshit tropes. Instead it is a refreshing and honest look at the way life throws bad at you with the good, and the desperate struggle of trying to not drown under the weight of it all. ($35 Premium Seating, $25 General Admission, All Ages)