Review by Steve Bennett

Does the fact that terrible act is terrible on purpose mitigate the fact it’s still a terrible act? I’d say not, especially after enduring an hour of this warped variety show, where character after character performed to a silence interrupted only by the gentle hum of the air-conditioning; surely the modern equivalent of tumbleweed.

What’s especially frustrating is that one silent scene towards the end showed a brilliant flair entirely uncharacteristic of the rest of the show. Starting off like some dreary regime-approved animation about the Army from Cold War-era Eastern Europe, it morphed into a highly entertaining piece of audience interaction, ping-pong balls flying everywhere, that wouldn’t be out of place in a Boy With Tape On His Face show. But such a tantalising glimpse of what clownery this trio can achieve only makes the rest of the long hour seem even more disappointing.

The idea is that this is a comedy agency showcasing the best of its talent. Our compere is Ted Strangebone, a suicidally depressed man so monotonous and miserable he makes Jack Dee look like Kermit The Frog. The joke is that he’s appalling at setting a mood, which of course is the reality, too.

The parade of freaks he introduces includes a Victorian gentleman boxer, keen on showing us both his physique and moustache; a Glaswegian two-piece band in which the aggressive lead singer keeps telling the audience to keep their eyes off his partner’s boobs (it’s a man in unconvincing drag); and a stoned-out mystic urging us to repeat his nonsensical mantra.

Audience participation is a big part of the show, but they are too loud and intimidating for anyone to feel relaxed when press-ganged into playing along. The intensity is always set to 11, which is too much for a sparse mid-afternoon crowd, painfully aware of how awkward the situation is.

There’s some originality in the bizarre creations, and in the rare moments where the tone is playful, evidence of surreal silliness peeks through. But so often they stick to an aggressively dark approach that treats the audience as something to be assaulted, not entertained.

Review date: 16 Aug 2013
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett