Croft and Pearce exhibit matching outfits, and to a degree, matching faces, accents and physicality. This makes it very difficult to tell them apart. Whilst these ladies' energetic sketches are brimming with ideas, the lack of characterisation and variety between their characters makes the whole comedy a bit homogenized. The duo's debut Edinburgh show gets off to a promising start. Making an effort to be topical with a Kate Middleton sketch, Croft (or is it Pearce?) impersonates a royal correspondent intent on turning the Duchess of Cambridge's bland personality and unremarkable wardrobe into juicy tabloid tidbits. Repetition is used to hilarious effect, as Croft continues to stress Middleton's allegiance to 'up-and-coming British designers,' and the dialogue between the correspondent and Pearce's bemused television presenter veers comically into surreality as they end up debating whether or not Middleton could potentially be Beyoncé. However, an unnecessary descent into vajazzle territory could have been avoided. Further sketches showcase the pair's knack for constructing comic situations out of everyday scenarios. A sketch set in a creative writing evening class sees them utilizing the audience as their students; a clever way of keeping viewers' attention by immersing them in the scene. This sketch was also commendable for its employment of a Bridget Jones-esque comedy of failure; watching the teacher crumble as her visiting ex-classmate and rival, now a bestselling author, wins over her class with effortless charisma makes for bittersweet laughs. It was a pity that this exact success vs failure formula was repeated with less panache later on in the show, the circumstances changed to a top lawyer bumping into her old school friend who is now handing out coupons in a hot-dog costume.Although it is at times a relief that Croft and Pearce do not bother with attempts at sophistication and thus avoid the pitfalls of pretension, some of the humour strays into puerility. Jokes revolving around incontinence pads, a teddy bear's picnic and a sexualised school assembly often feel a bit beneath these competent comic actresses' potential. Next year, let's hope for a bolder and braver routine that's more vibrant and varied than Kate's favourite navy Jigsaw cardi.
