Mould & Arrowsmith's Inventions

Once again Mould and Arrowsmith have come up with a blinder of a show, perfectly showcasing their unique and original blend of humour and personality. THe two are an immensely likeable duo onstage and have a fantastic chemistry together in the style of all great comic duos, such as Morecombe and Wise or The Two Ronnies. They take their turns in both setting up and delivering the punchlines in equal measure and, although a large section of their show this year revolves around competitiveness, it is clear that this is a rock-solid partnership which helps propel their show into the strata of excellence.

The main premise of the show is the tiebreaker in a series of challenges they have set themselves. The audience are called upon to help decided which of Steve's time-portal or Gemma's counting horse made of pipe cleaners shoudl be the winning invention. Along the way we have parodies of Deal Or No Deal, Catchphrase, Quantam Leap, Harry Potter, Superman as well as an abundance of grammatical and mathematical puns and paradoxes. Make no mistake this is fiercely intelligent comedy with hidden gems hiding at every corner.

Indeed, the level of detail in the show is staggering; in fact, I defy you to find any sloppy corners. From the insertion of a USB connection cord to a deliciously funny literary joke buried in the list of previous challenges, Mould and Arrowsmith have quite literally thought of everything. Yet refreshingly, they do not wave this in their audience's faces; it is simply present for the auidence to pick up and absorb what they will.

Their real skill lies in their knack of identifying small truths in situations and people, and then expanding these into whole sketches or extended jokes. By basing everything around such truths, it gives the pair such an air of authority that you quite literally believe everything they say, no matter how surreal it may be.

At the heart of this show is a run of strikingly original material. Their slant is so unique, the lines so precise and the performances so natural you almost forget that you are watching a show and instead find yourself feeling priviliged enough to enjoy the company of two fantastically funny and charasmatic people. I strongly believe that if the script of this show was given to another pair of comedians to perform, it simply wouldn't work, for this show is so tailor-made to these people that no one else would stand a chance. It is extremely rare to find a case like this and the duo deserve much praise for achieving this.

This year there are many sketch groups and partnerships vying for the spotlight. Mould and Arrowsmith may not be as well known as other groups, but they are certainly more than skilled. In a few years time it wouldn't surprise me to see them at the head of the pack with others chasing behind them. And they certainly deserve it. Catch them now for a real masterclass in originality and talent. And a little tip: make sure you don't dash out of your seat at the end; the final punchline for an earlier joke is delivered after the "credits" as such, and is well worth seeing!