Greedy's staple material and familiar two male/two female set-up present a conventional and established sketch show that is enjoyable without reaching any particular comedic heights.

Rather like watching a sketch show on television, Greedy is a perfectly suitable way to spend time, but does not inspire any laughs out loud.

The material drifts mostly around 30-something dinner party conversation topics - dating, chatting women up, weddings, chatting paranoid women up, dancing to impress and chatting women up when gagged.

The result is that Greedy often feels lopsided, with the two attractive female performers often playing objects of lust rather than characters.

This is added to by their costumes - their skirts and low-cut tops make them the Debbie McGees of the show rather than the main act.

The two male performers have graceful and expressive physicality, which is the source of more laughter than some of Greedy's limp punchlines. Both men perform well in scenes with little dialogue and more mime and movement, in particular an orchestral drummer sequence and a dance-off finale.

Unfortunately, as with many of the strongest pieces from the show, these sketches have survived from their 2006 Edinburgh run.

Greedy is at its most exciting when it forays into the surreal, as with the sketch showing a T.Rex playing hide-and-seek and the period Mrs Dashwood sketch.

These scenes contain more gags than platform-building, a ratio which should have been maintained in some of the dating sketches.

In particular, the 'whistling Martin' sequence becomes wearing due to an overly long set-up followed by a predictable punchline.

One asset of Greedy is the use of music. Whether in or between scenes, humour is often provided by musical discord and energy is frequently lifted by punchy melody - especially when it follows a sketch with a feeble ending.

A neatly executed though unexciting sketch show, Greedy proves disappointing, as it lacks imagination and innovation.

Cast Credits: (alpha order): Louie Bayliss. Rachel Egan. Alan Freestone. Felicity Wren. James Wren.

Company Credits: Writers - Unrestricted View. Director - Alan Freestone. Light / Sound Design - James Wren. Technical Operator - Venue Staff. Company - Unrestricted View.

END

(c) Sara Pascoe 2007

Reviewed August 07 / Underbelly

Subeditor – Bo Wilson

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012

www.fringereport.com