And now for something completely different... Genuinely funny punch lines!
Aeneas Faversham
(2006)
Penny Dreadfuls
Gilded Balloon, August 4-27, 18.00 (1 hour)
Penny Dreadfuls are a comedy troupe with a difference – all of the sketches are set in Victorian England. One might expect the joke to wear a bit thin in this hour long show, but their ingenuity and quirky take on perceived cliché’s of that era is constantly surprising and consequently consistently very funny.
Like all classic comedy combinations they’ve also got the physical blend right – four very different types. Humphrey Ker, for example, often seemed to be about ten feet tall under the low ceiling of this space. The other three players, Dave Reed, Thom Tuck and Jamie Anderson each bring something different to the party, and all four display an unbelievable array of accents (there’s actually a sketch equating regional accents with insanity) and tremendous acting versatility.
The sketches for the most part come fast and furious (the Victorian children’s entertainer who reduces the kids to tears is inspired), only a couple slightly outstaying their welcome. Even here they seemed to playing with the genre. The beautifully played scenario where a husband refuses to discuss having a baby with his wife because, he informs her, she is barren, looks like it’s going to end on a weak punch line several times as the lights begin to fade. But they keep coming up again and again until it is obvious it is he who isn’t interested in copulating by which time the lady in question got a huge, sympathetic “aaaahhh” from the audience.
In fact, finding an “out” from a sketch is often the hardest bit. Even the geniuses of Python often resorted to the “this sketch is too silly” way out. Spike Milligan’s sketches often ended with him shuffling off the stage or screen saying “what do we do now…”. Penny Dreadfuls’ sketches are very clever and funny, and almost always end on the biggest laugh of the scene. I’ve been wandering around saying “Tea is the bitch of coffee” in a Russian accent for days. Go and see the show, you’ll see why!
[Robin T. Barton]
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