Let’s face it, Victoria winters can be pretty dreary – warmer than the rest of Canada, but dreary all the same. Perhaps that’s why we tend to love our comedy shows in the dead of winter, and this year’s offerings are enough to chase those drizzly dearies away. And nobody does that better than Phil Hanley, coming to Victoria’s McPherson Theatre for one night only on Jan. 10. You might know this Canadian phenomenon from his social media presence (he has 600,000 Instagram followers and 370,000 on TikToc) or from his appearances on The Tonight Show, Late Night with Seth Meyers, or The Late Late Show. Then again, you might have watched his stand-up special, Ohh La La on YouTube (more than 2 million views) or heard his album, Please Don’t Chit Chat While I’m Pursuing My Dream. Originally from Oshawa, Ont., Hanley has become a key figure in the New York City comedy scene but is quick to tell you that he loves coming home to Canada to do his shows here. “Victoria is a very special place for me,” said Hanley. “My first gigs were there when I used to play at the Tally Ho. I also did a lot of shows in Vancouver. The audiences in B.C. are really great, and I find that they get it. My jokes land, and I can read the room and know that this is a crowd that’s in tune with what I’m delivering.” Hanley’s journey to the comedy stage was quite unique, beginning with the fact that his struggles with severe dyslexia prevented him from attending university and sent him searching for a way to make a living. He was lucky enough to be noticed by folks in the fashion industry and first had a career as a runway model. I did that for a few years with jobs in Europe and beyond, and then I thought I’d try my hand at improv comedy,” said Hanley. “I wasn’t nervous about it, given that I had been on stage modelling for years, but while I enjoyed improv, I started looking at a standup career where I had more control over the material and the show.” His comedy career also gives him a chance to throw some light on his advocacy for dyslexia awareness and his commitment to using his platform to inspire others and promote a deeper understanding of neurodiversity. “I wrote my memoir, Spellbound, with that in mind, and I do address it in my comedy bits as well,” said Hanley. “I learned really quickly at a young age that humour in any situation is just looking at it and thinking about it differently. And if your brain is wired differently, it’s such an advantage. I have an advantage because I approach things differently, just because of the way my brain is wired.” That fundamental truth, Hanley said, has certainly contributed to his success in comedy. “A lot of the stuff that we laugh at comes from a dark place,” he said. “And you also develop a little bit of charisma when you have the condition. You have to, just to survive.” Hanley will be appearing on Jan. 10 at the McPherson Theatre. Tickets and more information can be found at https://www.rmts.bc.ca/production-detail-pages/2026-mcpherson-playhouse/phil-hanley/.
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