Review by Steve Bennett

Standing out is the most difficult thing for any show on this overcrowded fringe; and gimmick-free sketch shows probably have it the hardest.

That is probably the fate of Totally Tom, a solid, unashamedly posh duo (they both went to Eton at the same time as Prince Harry) with something of the Armstrong & Miller about them. They are a strong couple of performers with some good ideas and funny lines, as well as being charismatic and likeable. In many ways you can see why Channel 4 have awarded them a Comedy Lab in the next series, but they are also just not quite different enough to stand out in a crowded field.

Yet they do strive to be different. The 'gap yah' students with their lazy vowels and weary entitlement have been totes done to death. But the Toms make them gay and give them a coke habit Kerry Katona would envy, and the cliche is sidestepped.

There's a slight over-dependence on comedy accents for laughs, whether it's the raucous Nordic Club Med tour guides, the sternly unforgiving German father pushing his son at the piano, or the high-pitched Glaswegian schemies. But more pressing is the undercurrent of inappropriate sexual advances beneath too many sketches, offering an easy get-out if the script runs out of steam.

Those are the negative points, but there's plenty in the credit side to offset them. There are some bright ideas here, especially the Shakespearean sidekick who struggles for metaphors. Skits often take genuinely unexpected directions, if only for a moment in some cases, to keep things interesting. And some scenes are just plain hilarious without any such gimmicks: embarrassing 'best man' speeches have been a staple of comedy for as long as people have been getting married, but Totally Tom's variation on the old theme is simply very funny indeed.

This is a deft debut from two skilled comedians - Palmer especially has some well-developed physical skills though Stouton is a fine foil. It may take them a few more Edinburghs to get notice, if the Channel 4 pilot doesn’t do it for them, but this is a firm foothold.

Review date: 11 Aug 2011
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett