Sketchatron

Sketchatron

21 July, 2008
by: Emma

You know it's going to be a good evening of comedy when Stephen Merchant walks in behind you. "He'd better not sit in front of me", my friend grumbles. Luckily, he doesn't, but he only just manages to squeeze on to the end of our row; the Pleasance is packed out, partly thanks to a ticket sales mishap, and mainly because it got plugged by Timeout as 'Critics Choice' of the week. But know this dear reader! It was plugged here first.

The Pleasance in Islington is a great Fringe theatre, a sister to the well-loved venue in Edinburgh, and as well as lining up top comedy nights it has a programme that includes innovative plays, children's shows and musicals. It also has a lively adjoining bar and restaurant, packed with people having pre or post theatre drinks and food.

The first act of the night are The Penny Dreadfuls, dressed head to toe in Victorian garb. Most of their sketches are drawn from historical events and social issues of the period such as wars, duels, courting and the dominant male. I saw them two years ago at the Fringe where some parts of their act were weaker than others but they have since honed it to perfection; this time there's not a questionable sketch in sight and some of the ones I recognise are vastly improved. Their accents and facial expressions are hilarious and they assume their characters very well; the final sketch involving a daughter introducing her creepy fiancée to her father has everyone in hysterics and their own corpsing only makes it funnier. I think they could all get jobs as actors if comedy doesn't work out but judging by their constant sell-out gigs and new radio show for BBC7, this seems unlikely.

Next up come Idiots of Ants with a tough act to follow: sadly they aren't a patch on the Pennies. One scene where they all play girls is ridiculously stereotypical: "What's the plan for today?" "Duh! Shopping! Shoe shopping!". This is clearly the point and works out well in the end because all the girls in the audience laugh at the typecasting and all the boys laugh because they genuinely believe it to be true.  A lot of sketches miss the mark but there are some very good bits like when they all don bonnets and imitate girls searching their handbags for keys, a very amusing observation that hits home with both sexes.

Pappy's Fun Club have an unfortunate problem. Their fourth member, Ben, has been cast in an advert for GMTV that was set to film late and he has all their props in his car. Undeterred, they decide to have a meat raffle instead and hand out Ben's parts in the show (plus various German sausages) as prizes. This goes well until people catch on that they'll have to go on stage and stop speaking up when numbers are called. There is a lot of very good improvisation mixed in with some classic sketches such as Abraham Lincoln taking his favourite phrase of four score and seven too far: "I asked my wife for four score and seven eggs for breakfast – the minute I said it I knew I was in trouble. That's just too many eggs!" Their half hour is very slick: comedy comes naturally to these guys and they ooze confidence even when out of their comfort zone.

The last act, The Sunday Defensive, has one of the best intro sketches of the lot. An army General addresses his Lieutenant on a disciplinary matter. When the Lieutenant tries to answer he is interrupted by the General miming 'don't lie to me' over Mark Morrison's 'Return Of The Mack'. Totally unexpected and a good start. Unfortunately it goes downhill from there. They pair play themselves throughout which is unusual perhaps but made the act rather monotonous.

All in all, a very enjoyable evening, mainly thanks to the comic genius of Pappy's Fun Club and The Pennies. And if you don't want to take my word for it, let me assure you: Merchant was giggling his tits off.

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Emma