Shawn Wickens brings pot-baked time travel theories to Western Canada

Fringe Festival | Stephen Whitworth

Shawn Wickens
Time Machine Blueprints: The Show
Royal Saskatchewan Museum

It was an e-mail that demanded attention: “Concerns Raised Over ‘Anti-Science’ Comedy Show at Regina’s Esteemed Museum,” read the subject line.

Oh great, did the creationists book the Royal Saskatchewan Museum to peddle their anti-science bullshit?

Turns out, no!

“I am writing with concern about a recent event hosted at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum,” said the note’s author, one Shawn Wickens. “The institution’s decision to present Time Machine Blueprints: The Show, a comedy that frivolously explores time travel, is perplexing and, frankly, troubling.

“In an era where the integrity of science is often challenged, it’s disconcerting to see a respected museum engage in what can only be described as a mockery of serious scientific discourse,” Wickens continued. “While comedy has its place, the blending of such with the esteemed topic of time travel at a scholarly venue raises questions about the judgment involved.”

“Nevertheless, curiosity compels me to learn more about this unconventional approach. It looks like the show is part of the Regina Fringe Festival.”

Ah-ha. It’s not the creationists or flat earth or chemtrail crowd. It’s a sneaky press release for a Regina International Fringe Festival show.

And thank goodness, because it’s too nice out to sit inside writing angry columns about stupid, obnoxious lunatics.

That said, it’s interesting the e-mail called the upcoming show a “recent event”. Was this a note from … the future?

There’s reason to think it might be.

Time Machine Blueprints: The Show is a Fringe performance years in the making, says the aforementioned Wickens, a comedian and the show’s creator.

“Years ago, I was stoned off of a weed brownie, hanging out by myself in my apartment listening to music, and um, you know, having a relaxing night,” says Wickens. “And the next morning I checked my e-mail, and I had an e-mail from GoDaddy congratulating me for buying the domain name “Time Machine Blueprints”.

“Which I don’t really remember doing. I mean obviously I did it,” adds Wickens.

“Eventually, I realized a funny thing I could do is to self-publish a book called Time Machine Blueprints, which is kind of a cosmic joke because it’s blank inside, being that it’s a first edition,” Wickens says. “Once I had the book, somebody pointed out that I had merch for a show. So then I came up with a show.

“So, um,” he adds.

Time Machine Blueprints: The Show combines jokes with time travel theories of (presumably) varying quality, ranging, perhaps, from serious to half- and even fully baked.

It promises to be entertaining and possibly even salubrious.

“The disclaimer is I’m not a physicist or engineer or mathematician,” says Wickens. “I am still a stoner comedian. But if a stoner comedian can still say good things about the future, hopefully some smarter people can, as well.

“The premise of the show is, ultimately, that sometimes tomorrow can be better than today,” he says. “And if that trend continues then hopefully we’ll all be in a good place,” he says.

From Cleveland to Canada

Wickens lives in New York but his hometown is Cleveland, Ohio — a scruffy, oft-disrespected city with a reputation for producing interesting people, music and art (the late cartoonist and David Letterman nemesis Harvey Pekar comes to mind).

It’s one of those places like Baltimore, or Hamilton, or Winnipeg, or maybe even Regina? Hard-luck towns that incubate notable culture.

“I was born in the late ’70s and I grew up there in the ’80s and ’90s, when Cleveland was kind of a punchline here in the States,” says Wickens. “We kind of [developed] a good sense of humour about it, but I have a friend who says it created self-deprecating anger.

“I think it helped me on the path to becoming a comedian but I also think it kind of created in me this sense that nothing’s ever great,” he says. “You know what I mean? Like, things can always be better. Which is also maybe kind of a self-defeatist attitude, but, um, I’m also of the mindset to not make things worse when things aren’t great. You know?”

This will be Wickens first time in Western Canada. He’s excited. Really.

“I’ve been to Toronto, Montreal and Windsor,” says Wickens. “Well, I have family in Kansas and we grew up going on family road trips, so once I started thinking about Canada, I just always wondered. I’m going to be driving there. I turned this into a family road trip. I’m flying to Cleveland from New York, picking up my sister and then we’re driving there together.

“I’ve always wanted to see the middle of Canada and my inclusion in the Regina Fringe Festival is a gift, because it’s a lottery-based system. As much as I’d like to say, ‘Oh, they wanted me specifically and personally, being chosen by random is also a fun gift, as well,” he says.

There’s one more similarity between Cleveland and Regina, and it has to do with the venue for Wickens’ show.

“Cleveland’s natural history museum has a  pretty famous tyrannosaurus as well, so that’s a good connection there,” says Wickens.

Time Machine Blueprints: the Show opens tonight at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum. Show starts at 7:15.