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Princes of Main

 
Alice Moore Review by Alice Moore 3 Published: 20 Aug 2015 Pleasance Courtyard Show Dates: 5 Aug 2015-31 Aug 2015

Fresh from the Cambridge Footlights, Princes of Main – Alex MacKeith, Ben Pope and Jamie Fraser – are a new and exciting comedy trio, a promising addition to the scene. There is a lot that is good in their show, but after a while some of the material falls a little flat.

All the ingredients for a Fringe hit – it just needs a little bit more cooking.

The three have a seemingly irrepressible energy, and each sketch snaps effortlessly into the next. Some sketches feel a little messy, but this is actually to the show’s advantage: the atmosphere is charged but loose, MacKeith, Pope and Fraser relaxed performers with great chemistry. And, for the most part, the writing is undeniably sharp. There are very clever sketches involving a brainstorm for rom-com titles and a support group for people whose last names are first names, among other witty and original offerings. The trio are unafraid to be silly, and some of their material is as bizarre as it is brilliant.

These great ideas are sometimes dragged on for a couple of seconds too long, however, and often sketches that work lose their shine after recurring once (or twice) too often. And while it’s clear that the three are having fun and giving it their all, occasionally they find the sketches funnier than we do. There is clearly something very good at play here, but they almost seem to run out of steam.

There is plenty to enjoy here, though. There is excellent timing, intelligent writing, and three very funny men. A fun and quirky sketch show with all the ingredients for a Fringe hit – it just needs a little bit more cooking.

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The Blurb:

New sketch trio Alex MacKeith, Ben Pope and Jamie Fraser, hot off the success of their last project, the Cambridge Footlights International Tour Show 2014: Real Feelings, ***** (Tab.co.uk), and the acclaimed 2013 Fringe hit Dressing Down, ***** (BroadwayBaby.com) present almost an hour of dangerous, fast-paced and viscous sketches prior to midnight. Three geeks trying to start a party. 'A real highlight of this Fringe's comedy line-up' ***** (ThreeWeeks). 'Smart and artfully ramshackle' **** (List). 'Immensely entertaining' **** (Skinny). 'Guaranteed to make your cheeks hurt from laughter' **** (EdFringeReview.com).