The Joy of Sketch: Fringe Review

Sketched Into the Memory

3/5

Multiple acts collide in a variety show that combines some of the top names in sketch comedy. Playing for two nights only, for fans of the comedy sub-genre it presents a diverse range of styles that is sure to excite.

As with any variety show, The Joy of Sketch has its highs and lows. Whilst some of the acts were very good, others didn’t suit the short amount of time afforded them. Introducing the show were comedy duo McNeil and Pamphilon. An ideal choice for opening act, they aptly warmed up the audience even if a couple of their sketches were only moderately funny. With good engagement with the crowd and a compere feel, they successfully set up the evening’s festivities.

They were followed by Ed Eales White, whose sketches involving a paranoid husband and a gym trainer stole the audience. Well acted and tremendously funny, his brief time on stage left a noticeable imprint.

Female double act Ford and Akram decided to focus on a single section of their show, Bamp. Creating a date show scenario between a member of the audience and Ford – who unlike the voluptuous Akram seems to struggle to find men – the pair asked a number of bizarre questions in an attempt to see if the man picked on was a suitable match. Unfortunately, it didn’t really work as the intended comedic element of the sketch fell flat. A nice idea, but one which ultimately didn’t work.

Youthful sketch group the Pin picked up the pace with a selection of very funny material. Despite considerable corpsing, the sketches were clever and packed impressive punchlines. Sheeps closed the evening with a mix of skits and sketches that really tested the imagination. Not ones to stick to the ordinary, they told fabricated tales of Sheeps member Daran Johnson’s brief career in Hollywood and how other member Liam Williams gave up being a brilliant sportsman to pursue a career in sketch comedy. Remarkably fresh, they proved to be an ideal close to the evening.

For sketch fans, Joy of Sketch presents a taste of a variety of acts. However, given that some of the performers worked better than others, for an hour of consistently good material you’d be best to stick to one of the stronger shows.

Taken from Broadway Baby, published Aug 2012.