Goodbear put on a pretty spectacular routine considering they never actually show up.
Goodbear, “the boys, the legends, the lads”, are like nothing else you’ve seen at the Fringe.
Instead, we are entertained by some ‘venue staff’ with remarkable comedic skill and acting chops. Henry Perryment and Joe Barnes run through an almost limitless series of sketches, jumping from one to the other with the flick of a switch. Dougal is their show operator, always watching and judging from his elevated perch. Finally, an acknowledgement that the techies are the only ones with any real power.
The show opens with a bang—literally—when Barnes is almost crushed by an apparent lighting malfunction. Barring one noticeable glitch, each sketch is noteworthy for its creativity and panache. The duo navigate through movie tributes, mad scientists, wartime reunions, dance routines, transatlantic voyages—the list goes on. As we near the end of the performance, the scenes flash by quicker and quicker, as if they are trying to fit in as much as possible and only just realised how little time is left. Whether the sketch requires a lot of build up and guesswork by the audience or is literally one punchline, the originality showcased by Barnes and Perryment is undeniable.
Goodbear, “the boys, the legends, the lads”, are like nothing else you’ve seen at the Fringe. With seamless transitions, full commitment to each character and innovative use of sound and lighting design, they keep the audience gasping, shocking laughs out of us at every turn and barely giving us time to recover in between gags. As individual performers they're incredibly talented, but as a duo they are way ahead of the game. Come for the surprisingly sophisticated banter, stay for the realistic Love, Actually ending you never knew you needed. Airport security is no joke, but Goodbear: Dougal is full of them.
