Review by Jason Stone

Young duo Matt Mulligan and Tom Lyons can be very good indeed but lapses in momentum prevent this show from being completely satisfying.

It sometimes feels churlish to complain about a lack of discipline when performers are as young as these two Durham students, but just a little bit of directorial control would have made this show much more successful.

Productivity treads a well-worn path by depicting an ill-fated business venture which culminates in a pitch to the audience, but Mulligan and Lyons have managed to bring a great deal of originality to this idea and they navigate some complicated ideas with aplomb.

The dynamic between the two is familiar as well... Mulligan plays the unreliable figure with unquenchable ambition while Lyons as the stalwart plays it so straight that he's almost reduced to sidekick status. But the balance changes during the show and Lyons gets the opportunity to demonstrate his own comedic gifts, with a haplessness s reminiscent of Maurice Moss, Richard Ayoade’s character in The IT Crowd. He feigns confusion beautifully as Mulligan's depiction of their shared history grows ever more elaborate.

There are some neat postmodern twists and signs that we're starting to witness the first generation of comics who've grown up watching the dryly performed comedy of Ricky Gervais and his ilk. It's an influence that does these two no harm at all.

You could almost forget the lack of tightness in the first 50 minutes during the dazzling section when the duo finally unveil the product they're hoping to turn into a money spinner. The pace at which this scene unfolds is impressive and the absurdity of their vision makes for terrific comedy.

There are plenty of highlights in this show and all this promising pair require is a little self-discipline. It'll be interesting to see how they develop.

Review date: 13 Aug 2010
Reviewed by: Jason Stone