"Just the right mix of intelligence, absurdism and goofiness" – Sarah Kendell reviews quirky sketch trio Sheeps.
After suffering slight sketch overload so far this Fringe, I’m not sure what to expect from Sheeps. The three-man group are pretty new on the scene, but they’ve garnered a swathe of decent reviews in the short time they’ve been on the circuit, as well as being the protégés of brilliant production company The Invisible Dot. All things considered, I’m feeling quietly optimistic they might just be able to coax me out of the sketch overkill blues as we file into the Pleasance’s cosy Beyond venue on a mild Sunday afternoon.
To my relief, I’m quickly proved right as the boys get stuck into a storming first half. The refreshingly original lines, cracking pace and hilarious stage presence of the three young comics means you can almost hear the audience waking up after a day of run-of-the-mill entertainment. The boys have great stage chemistry that creates a sort of three-way, good-cop bad-cop vibe, and even their low-budget props provide a refreshing antithesis to some of the more slick multimedia-based offerings I’ve seen so far.
Unfortunately the action does slow down significantly in the second half, not to a point where it’s utterly unamusing, but there is a marked difference in the attention span of the audience as the material starts to meander. Their through-concept also feels like it’s been tacked on at the end because they felt they had to have one for a Fringe show, but this, as well as the delicacies of pacing their show more carefully, is something that should come together with more experience.
Overall, though, the boys show great promise and originality as a sketch group. If you’re looking for an act with just the right mix of intelligence, absurdism and goofiness, you could do worse than catch these guys.
Sarah Kendell
Sheeps: Dancing With Lisa is at the Pleasance Courtyard at 5:10pm until 26th August
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