Comedy / Sketch, Assembly George Square, Venue 17, 17:30, August 21-23 and 25-31
The Oxford Revue’s impressive history – entering into its 51st year and spouting the likes of Rowan Atkinson and Alan Bennet – produces a degree of expectation for this trio of young comedians; indeed, a kind of expectation that may encourage failure. However, what these sprightly trio delivered was an hour of light-hearted humour that certainly entertained their audience.
The show consisted of several sketches, commendable both in their range and number. Their decision to cast each comedian as possessing a different ‘trait’ worked well, with an inevitable ‘posh one’ obsessed about their local village of Cranbrooke, a ‘political one’ and finally, and one intent on telling a turtle joke with the slightly predictable one-liner involving a car crash being a ‘turtle disaster’. That particular joke did drag a little, but this was part of their humour.
Nevertheless, the show was well written and witty, and the trio successfully included contemporary issues into their acts, such as ‘A Nigel Farage Sitcom’. Indeed, the show deserves to be seen purely for that impression: expect ‘Big Nige’s’ characteristic overly large and smarmy smile and guttural stops – pure comedy gold. Another commendable scene is ‘The Armistice’ with the absurdity of the war being highlighted by an officer obsessed with his wish to play football, successfully creating a satirical undercurrent to their comedy.
The Oxford Revue delivered a show that engaged their audience, with a stream of constant laughter and an eruption of cheering and clapping concluding the show. Although some jokes dragged a little, they successfully fused the scenes together with scenes that portrayed the actors as familiar and friendly, creating an overall successful show.