Chloe Matonis is an American comedian, clown and performance artist. Their latest show at Edinburgh Fringe, Lt Dr Love’s Bootcamp for Lonely People Like You, mixes character comedy with audience participation as one “L Love Dr Hotty McTotty” returns from 2075 to remind us how to connect as humans.
It’s a show that mixes bootcamp drills with speed dating in a frenetic yet focused 45 minutes. Matonis is taking aim at how we have become increasingly reliant on digital devices rather than going out and talking to people; it’s easier to hide behind a screen than to make the effort.
Although on the surface this show is completely silly, it functions as a genuine social experiment in which Matonis, a very personable and gifted performer who commits completely to the character and the premise, chats with audience members and includes them in the show.
A big hit at 2025’s Fringe, Lt Dr Love’s Bootcamp for Lonely People Like You is a lot of fun while offering a solution to finding ‘the one’ in an approachable, character-driven, and definitely fringe-focused way. Watching it as a recording doesn’t capture the feel of being present in the audience, but it offers a snapshot of what this kind of warm, witty, and original comedy can do.
I’m very fond of alternative theatre that tugs at the boundaries we build around us, and Matonis, as a comic and clown, has created a persona that drags us back into real-life communication and connection. At this show, you might find a new friend, or at least reassess the idea of looking someone in the eyes without the boundary of technology.
4 stars.
Lt Love Dr’s Boot Camp for Lonely People Likw You was part of this year’s Edinburgh Fringe.
For more on Chloe Matonis, check their website.
I reviewed this show from a recording supplied by Chloe’s PR.