Comedy Bitch brings together six young actors, presenting brand new sketch comedy at the Underbelly - three women (Sophie Wright, Louise Howells and Hannah Gittos), three men (Jonathan Brook, Tom Lyall-Cottal and Ben Kewin) and a heck of a lot more than three big laughs. Given the quality that's on offer here, its a surprise to discover that for most of the actors Comedy Bitch is their first comedy show.The show opens with a 1950s horror movie set up, stylishly played, that sets the tone for the sketches that follow, including another with the same cinematic style, taking Brief Encounter as its theme. The show makes frequent use of voice over to good effect, including one boyfriend/girlfriend scene which is one of the funniest in the show.Sketch shows can fail if there is a weaker cast member or if some of the sketches fall flat. Comedy Bitch avoid these pitfalls - all six of the actors are strong performers, and there isn't a duff sketch in the whole hour. The cast's background in tv and theatre can be seen in their superb ability to inhabit the characters they create, and in their range of vocal skills. It's full of ideas and well written, covering a diverse range of subjects, from teenagers on buses to a dysfunctional book groups. The premise of the final sketch, as an estate agent shows a prospective tenant his new flat, is excellent, and I wouldn't be surprised if it turned up on tv in the future. The rhythm of the show will no doubt improve as the cast and crew get more used to the Belly Laugh space - at times the changes between sketches were a bit too long, interrupting the pace. Once this is sorted it will really shine.
