Abigail Burdess - Space Clown is an ambitiously fast-paced sketch show, involving rapid changeovers and multiple costume changes. Tonight there's also a sound system that seems to go into sporadic meltdown. It's the first of a four-night run of a brand new show.

Space Clown is an entertaining series of strange and funny character comedy skits and send-ups from Abigail Burdess and a talented cast - Damian Kell, Victoria Moseley, Tom Price. The show begins with Victoria Moseley and Damian Kell in evening dress as a warring ex-couple done to the overblown style of a 1970's TV drama, complete with Abigail Burdess's BBC-type-continuity-announcer-stating-the-obvious commentary via a microphone at the side of the stage. Cut to an older, Northern-accented couple in deckchairs, the woman trying to describe in ridiculously precise detail a person they both know, the man being continually clueless till some random fact leads him to recognition. This as with the first sketch is re-introduced throughout the show, leading to a continuity and familiarity that works well.

Sketches include an ultimate neurotic, intolerant of everything woman, a woman who's 'empowered' by pole-dancing as a way to keeping slim, a predatory woman's pyjama party - Abigail Burdess is particularly good at playing kooky convincingly. There's a dog-loving, baby-phobic couple with their baby; they can't understand why the poor child can't be as much fun to play with as a dog. There's a nicely-observed sketch about a helpline run by Samaritans who are too easily distracted actually to take calls. Abigail Burdess uses the commentary device again to explain the hidden verbal nuances of a visit by a wife to her husband in prison. There's a great sketch of a duel between Abigail Burdess and Victoria Moseley involving the kind of verbal jousting and bitchiness that typified (UK television channel) Channel 4's (former comedy programme) Smack the Pony.

Abigail Burdess finishes off with a solo sketch, or rather a talking song. Anyone familiar with (UK celebrities/performers) Lily Allen or Kate Nash may recognise the mockney pseudo-streetwise lyrics. It's genuinely laugh-out-loud funny and a great end to an inventive evening of surreal and funny sketches.

Cast Credits: (alpha order): Abigail Burdess. Damian Kell. Victoria Moseley. Tom Price.

Company Credits: Writer - Abigail Burdess. Director - uncredited. Lights & Sound - Tamsin Stanley. Producer - uncredited. Company - uncredited.

END

(c) Ruth Morris 2008

reviewed Sunday 17 August 08 / Etcetera Theatre, London

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012

www.fringereport.com