Now, here’s the thing: I really wanted to like this sketch show. Sketches are difficult things to write. They’re difficult things to perform. And, at times, they can be difficult things to watch. Unfortunately, this was one of those times.
Staple/face have really tried hard. You can tell from their nervous, sometimes rushed performances.
Staple/face have really tried hard. You can tell from their nervous, sometimes rushed performances. Their enthusiasm is obvious, and if used properly it could have been quite infectious. It wasn’t. Instead it was a little bit off-putting. It resulted in either an overly-loud delivery of lines, or an uncertain, apologetic dashing off stage. At some points I even saw some members of the group silently mouthing along with the words. These members are, I assume, the writers.
And, in all, the writers did a pretty lousy job. Most of the skits we were shown didn’t seem to go anywhere, and if they did they invariably had a dull, weak punch line. One sketch in particular, which was set around a breakfast table, ended with such awkwardness that it ruined the entire atmosphere. I was actually enjoying this one, until it ended. As I looked around the room I saw people uncomfortably clapping their hands, and checking their watches.
Staple/face’s influences are obvious. An attempt at ‘A Bit Of Fry & Laurie’ type humour is made, with members of the troupe sometimes addressing the audience directly, providing us with alternate endings and faked arguments. But, unlike Stephen and Hugh, they seem unsure of themselves throughout, and hesitant to make these surrealist jokes work properly. They clearly enjoy shows like the ‘The Office’ and ‘Extras’, and all over-use the classic ‘uncomfortable face’ that Gervais has made himself famous for. They say in their publicity material that they liken themselves to Mitchell & Webb, but they lack the practice, finesse, and comic timing needed to be realistically compared with these two.
And maybe that’s the problem. Perhaps all Staple/face needs is a chance to practice their material a bit more. Give them the opportunity to hone their act and, who knows, they could become the next ‘Smack the Pony’, or ‘Monty Python’. But I doubt it. What successful sketch shows have that others lack is a sense of fun. For instance, if a mistake is made on stage you want your audience to think “Oh! Look, he’s fluffed a line! Isn’t that funny!” instead of “Oh dear, he’s fluffed a line. That’s a shame.” You achieve this by being open to improvisation. By knowing your scenes so well that if something does go wrong you can easily, and amusingly, fix it. It’s all about making the audience feel at ease, without that comedy cannot work.
When I was watching Staple/face I was not at ease. I felt uncomfortable, embarrassed, and bored. It is a pity. I really wanted to like this sketch show.
