The Bristol Revunions are a first class example of what a student sketch comedy show can be. The six-strong troupe from Bristol University bring an impressive energy and creativity to the stage in
There is not a weak link in the group, and all six are warm and confident performers. They’re clearly a real team, and play off each other well, pulling out some hilarious facial expressions and reactions to make each other shine.
From the outset, the six are natural on stage. The opening moments are relaxed and warm, introducing them as comedians before we see them as characters, in a kind of ‘meta-sketch show’ set up. What follows is a series of well-crafted sketches, characterised by what is best about student comedy: the scenes are unpredictable, quick, exciting and fast-paced, clearly intelligently written but not running on rails or completely by the script.
And the ideas are undeniably clever. The sketches are constantly surprising, and – in a way that is quite rare in sketch comedy – get funnier as they progress, when slightly bizarre scenarios slowly start to click into place. Of course, the odd joke falls flat, but there is always something new to keep up the momentum: skipping from a cooking show with Jesus and Satan, to the captain of the HMS Iceburg going head to head with the Titanic, to a particularly funny interaction between two Sims characters. It’s great fun to keep up with the troupe’s constantly shifting minds.
The Revunions clearly love what they do. There is not a weak link in the group, and all six are warm and confident performers. They’re clearly a real team, and play off each other well, pulling out some hilarious facial expressions and reactions to make each other shine. Keeping the misfires to a minimum, Cream is an intelligent and exciting success.
