Edinburgh Fringe comedy review

Don’t sit near the front of a Foil Arms and Hog show this year if you’re not prepared to have one of your garments or possessions incorporated into the fun. It’s all good-natured, of course, and the popular Irish trio use their quick wit and easy charm to riff off nuggets supplied by the vast crowd.

The opening sketch involves two of them pretending to be a couple of five-year-old boys (often a cringeworthy scenario, but handled well here), trying to keep a girl out of their treehouse. Her incongruously eloquent argument about gender inequality is fun and persuasive, and we then flow into an Irish-style song about nations that hate each other, which is fun but less compelling, with a pay-off that relies too much on clichés.

Sean Finegan, Conor 'McKenna and Sean Flanagan clearly enjoy incorporating music into their act, and at one point really go to town with a skit about opera ('longer than a movie but shorter than a cricket match'), showing off their voices and taking the mickey out of the form.

Other subjects include the world’s first zoo free of animal cruelty, a song about a cow that’s broken someone’s heart, and a fun twist on sea swimming. Many of the scenarios last a little longer than they should, such as a recurring series of sketches involving a pretentious theatre troupe, but this audience loves every minute, and the trio know what their fans like.

Like all the most experienced sketch groups, these guys are particularly appealing when appearing to be improvising – as we see during their sketch set in a funeral home – and their generosity towards each other feels authentic and infectious.

Review date: 15 Aug 2024
Reviewed by: Ashley Davies
Reviewed at: Underbelly Bristo Square