Sofa Specific Productions presents an hour of wordless, clownlike comedy based around a two-seater couch with removable cushions. The show, suitable for all ages, revolves entirely around four men, who create various fantastical scenarios, including famous movie scenes such the iconic Titanic moments, and clown about with props like water pistols. While some of the scenarios they create are very clever and funny, the show is too long and would have been much funnier had it only been 25 minutes of frantic leaping around.
The general design of the show is pretty slick – the four performers wear different primary colours in order to be clearly identified and also have distinct personalities, despite only communicating in grunts, squeals and very dramatic gestures. The four male performers have a clear chemistry, and the performance runs very smoothly, with their movements on- and off-stage impeccably timed. They do all their own sound effects as well, including various recognisable theme tunes and sounds to accompany their miming.
A problem with this show is that it is not universally funny and the Mr Bean/Monsieur Hulot style, while it is done excellently by Sofa Specific, is pretty annoying if it's not really your cup of tea. Unlike many comedy shows at the Fringe this year, which successfully appeal to very wide audiences, Sofa Specific suffers from targeting too specific an audience, as they engage only in slapstick comedy. In addition, while some scenarios that they create are incredibly clever, many are simply rehashed versions of earlier scenes, such as the scene in which two of the performers squash a third between them on the sofa. It is very funny the first time, but gets a little bit tired after the third repetition.
Sofa Specific is a show put on by a talented group of performers, but those who are not die-hard fans of Rowan Atkinson's clownish creation should be warned that it could become a bit of a drag.
