If this show were a child, it might be described as a ‘late developer’. It’s very slow to start, with an introductory song isn’t particularly funny – indeed, it doesn’t seem like it’s intended to be funny, which is odd for the opening to a sketch show. It also attempts to introduce the theme of women taking on traditionally masculine jobs, but this doesn’t actually become clear till much later. So the very start seems a bit redundant.
The following half hour of sketches is very pleasantly funny but nothing outstanding. All three of the actors have a background in theatre, which is evident from their confident performances and great singing voices, and some of the ideas are very good, but it doesn’t ever go far beyond gently amusing.
Then all of a sudden there’s a sketch about three wives waiting for their husbands to return from sea that’s enough to have anyone crying with laughter. It’s very silly and charming and everything seems to pick up from then on. Either the remaining material is mysteriously better than the rest, or this near perfect sketch has an infectious power that doesn’t leave for the last twenty minutes. Either way, the energy is up and it’s plain sailing right to the end of the show.
The last song is delightfully sarcastic – until, that is, they seem to start worrying that the audience might think they really believe that women shouldn’t be allowed to do ‘men’s jobs’. Cut the line ‘But seriously, if you really think that,’ and there’s a really strong ending in there. If you skip over the first half hour, there’s a marvellous show lurking in the shadows. Sometimes less really is more.
