Points of view: theatre, comedy and news
In Bog Witch, Bryony Kimmings attempts to create a theatrical spectacle, with all the flash that we associate and expect from a production of this nature. The issue arises when we peel it all back and ask the question, “So what?” And in answering that question, it becomes clear very quickly that the emperor really does not have any clothes and all the tech and clever storytelling is just a surface-level mirage.
There is a slight element of risk to Ben Pope’s The Cut. If a comedian is talented enough and crafts a joke well, the risk of taking a big swing with a punchline or topic can pay off in a very major way. The Cut is an example of when the opposite happens.
The saying ‘the road to hell is paved with good intentions’ couldn’t be more applicable to Jack Grossman and Zoe Wohlfeld’s A Night Of Drama. What starts off as a perhaps Renaissance-esque, Athenian public square practice of bringing a meritocratic, Speakers’ Corner element to theatre quickly devolves into a Hobbesian thought experiment that perhaps best exemplifies why Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan is still very applicable.
Jain Edwards’ She Devil is an admittedly relevant piece of theatre that uses understated character comedy to convey a deeply personal and somewhat political hour of stand-up. It’s definitely an interesting concept, but overall She-Devil doesn’t quite deliver on what we would assume the promise and premise of this show to be.
Burt Williamson’s new show, 104kg of Pure Banter, is in one word fine. Is it funny? Yes. Does it make us laugh? Yes. Is it particularly memorable or different? No. It’s a decent set, but it doesn’t quite spark anything in us or leave us feeling anything apart from the fact that it’s a nice show.
For all intents and purposes, the morning is quite a jarring time for comedy. Alex Prescot’s Cosy may just be the exception that proves the rule, providing the blueprint for how stand-up can still be enjoyable before midday as long as it follows the same general rules of a children's show; light, wholesome and plenty of music.
Amongst the myriad of Christmas pantos, Deck the Stalls, promises us the warmth of Christmas cheer without the added cheesiness that often accompanies Christmas shows.
Every so often causes and social problems cycle through the public’s attention, fighting for spotlight in the 24 hours news cycle. Shining a light on an issue that has largely been left on the periphery, Nathan Charles’ When the Fun Stops, Try Again? is an interactive and audience participation-based performance piece on gambling and addiction.
Tarot: Shuffle is a sketch comedy show that uses the mystical power of tarot and fate to pull the hour together.
Aunty Ginger knows how to make an entrance, and the energy of Finding Splashman certainly starts at an electric place. The atmosphere then settles quite significantly as we’re then treated to a large portion of audience interaction, stand-up and the occasional satire, a very varied and occasionally muddled set.
Pepper & Salt 