Like so many shows at the moment, Om Nom Nominous lures in punters with a ridiculous name. Although the sheer number of entertainers trying to survive at the Fringe makes this tactic completely understandable, the quality of Casual Violence's sketch comedy probably makes their chosen title slightly superfluous. For Om Nom Nominous is an outstanding show that rides by the surreal brilliance of its sketches alone.
Indeed, Casual Violence have honed their current set over the past few years, and it shows. The cast expertly shifted between an astoundingly inventive series of skits. These ranged from a young Coleridge reciting epic poetry to two men in a shed trying to save humanity from a malign alien threat. The cast cleverly came back to set pieces more than once, bringing each segment to a satisfying conclusion, even if the way they were going to do it wasn't immediately obvious.
Happily, Casual Violence lived up to their name, painting even the most seemingly light-hearted sketches with a thick veneer of black humour. Murder, torture and suicide all featured, though these darker moments were so subtle that they often elicited cries of empathy from the audience, not cringe-induced gasps. The cast also did a good job of keeping the audience on-side, riffing off heckles from the crowd and including them in their skits.
Overall, this was an excellent hour of sketch comedy that had the packed room rapt for the duration. Even if you're not a fan of surrealist comedy generally, the skill and energy of the performers will certainly ensure that you'll enjoy Casual Violence.
