Camden Fringe: The Intimate Strangers

Camden Fringe: The Intimate Strangers

21 August, 2008
by: Emma

I get a feeling of foreboding during the Intimate Stranger's opening scene as we are introduced to a rather tried and tested 'posh city boy' character, but Matthew Rose plays the part with aplomb and saves the scene. The rest of the show is a slick operation of sketches and some pre-recorded material in between costume changeovers to keep the audience entertained. These snippets are even better than the sketches in places; one pastiche of an M&S advert supplementing the seductive description of food stuffs with the mouth-watering STD of syphilis is particularly good. 

Noteworthy bits involve the Cluedo characters having to deal with yet another murder and a whimsical parody of 'The Grand Old Duke of York' nursery rhyme. The Strangers' capabilities also stretch further than just being 'silly'.  One scene based on Robin Hood swaps the traditional roles of the hero and evil sheriff for a thieving hoodie and a sweet elderly policeman. This is not only inspired but also highlights the growing impotence of the establishment at dealing with young criminals. Not all sketches are as successful; some like the one involving a mad man and all his clocks are a bit basic and unbalance the show as a whole. The group's acting skills are also mixed. James Thomas shines in all his roles but he really steals the show as the camp storyteller, regaling the audience with inane but thoroughly detailed stories. Matthew Rose also moulds himself to a number of characters with skill but other performances let the side down by being unnatural and over the top.

The interpretive dance finale is brilliant and ends the show on a high note. The main problem The Intimate Strangers have is a lack of consistency but overall, the good skits are more prevalent and memorable than the bad ones. It is an enjoyable hour and I leave feeling thoroughly entertained. Even Monty Python had some expendable stuff when they started out and compared to some other popular sketch groups on the circuit like Idiots of Ants or The Sunday Defensive, these guys have more talent and better material.

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Emma