This show is a hotchpotch of surreal sketches that are generally not well presented. The cast of Dean Booth, Daniel Jackson, Sarah Speak and Steven Speak play many parts.

Too often a piece of action is interrupted for comic effect that doesn't work. A transition from dancing to house music to the revelation that one of the characters is a serial Russian rapist trying out some odd audition pieces in strangled English is unexpected and falls flat.

A driving lesson without a car sketch has potential but is wrongly-timed. It ends again with a sudden interruption, lots of pointless shouting and threatened violence. There are good ideas, but too many rough edges. Being loud and the characters attacking each other doesn't work when the characters are one-dimensional and unsympathetic.

A letter to a daughter becomes a Star Wars fight with egg-beaters (?) before becoming so deeply strange that those on stage seem uncertain exactly what is the justification for where it is going.

The characters are rarely believable. Action jumps about so much that any surreal quality is lost in silliness and confusion. There are few gaps for audience reaction. The pace is relentless. One of the characters admits 'Comedy should be like garlic bread – nice and simple'; not 'bedtime books made from mercury and wool' which sounds wonderful but goes nowhere. If the ideas were more developed, this would be a much better show.

Cast Credits: (alpha order): Dean Booth. Daniel Jackson. Sarah Speak. Steven Speak.

Company Credits: Writer - uncredited. Director - uncredited. Technical Operator – Dean Booth. Producer - uncredited. Company – Whispies Chasm.

END

(c) Peter Andrews 2008

reviewed Tuesday 5 August 08 / Laughing Horse@Espionage, Edinburgh

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012

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