Review by Julian Hall

Maybe it is because I work part-time in a cinema that the idea of acclimatising to the dark is second nature to me. But either way, I am underwhelmed by this wheeze.

  Before proceedings kick off we are told to stay in our seats and that we can’t get up and leave without using a safety word. Strap in, then, literally.  

But strap in for what? What’s it like to witness comedy in the dark? Erm, radio? Quite honestly, at a quarter to midnight, it’s the end of a long stream of shows for the humble critic and a great opportunity to rest your eyes without being considered rude.  

Of course I wouldn’t feel so snoozy if there was some mirth emanating from the murk. I’m not saying that the efforts of Anil Desai, Seann Walsh and Nina Conti went unappreciated but they were all made uncertain and stymied to some extent by the conceit.  

Seann Walsh attempted to get around the ‘rules’ by bringing a torch and going all Blair Witch on us but couldn’t use that ruse for too long as the torch was so bright and uncomfortable for the audience. Desai’s impressions are 90 per cent vocal gags, of course, and went unaffected by the premise of the show although he, like Walsh, was distracted and not at full power in his set.  

Conti, meanwhile, was pretty much business as usual and managed to riff on the situation with her grandmother character remarking that was much like any other gig to her, given that she was a puppet.  

Despite my black mark against this show I would go again if the venue was a more atmospheric, in-the-round, space and where acts were trying out material more tailored to the premise. Once more, with a sense of occasion would be the advice.

Review date: 14 Aug 2010
Reviewed by: Julian Hall