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Hot Concrete: Too Hot (and Too Concretey) for TV

 
Esther Review by Esther 3 Published: 25 Aug 2024 Just the Tonic at The Mash House Show Dates: 1 Aug 2024-11 Aug 2024

It’s not often you get to be in the audience for a pilot TV show, let alone a live chat show with

A mix of straight-up punchlines and oddball quips

a warm-up act, special guests, commercial breaks and several references to past

contestants of The X Factor. However, there are only two members of Hot Concrete - Henry

Whaley and Charlie Billingham - so cue completely seamless costume changes and an array

of accents.

Luckily, as “the kids are into TV...and long-form comedy sketch shows,” Hot Concrete: Too

Hot (and Too Concretey) for TV at Just the Tonic Mash House is easily enjoyable, as the sold-out room shows.

The guest interviews and the ‘80s infomercial-style ads work as sketches, that contain a mix of

straight-up punchlines and oddball quips. There’s also a great recurring bit about Whaley not

understanding the concept of perspective, as he recounts being approached by “an

increasingly growing child” who later “shrunk away.” The adverts are shown on a monitor that is quite small so, though the sound was of good quality, it’s not clear how much the people seated further back could see.

There is some kind of underlying evil mastermind plot, but it’s not vital; the sketches are

good enough to stand alone and Whaley and Billingham are strong actors. As someone who’s

been in a few studio audiences, if only more of them were this well written.

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The Blurb:

Join the UK's most energetic-yet-simultaneously-downbeat double act as they record the pilot for their groundbreaking TV chat show. Do they have what it takes to impress Big Telly and bag a series? From Henry Whaley (BBC New Comedy Awards 2021; Chortle Student Comedy Awards 2022) and Charlie Billingham (Frosties Water Skills Level 2 2003). Expect 'witty smart but dumb' jokes (Chortle), 'exceptionally written material' (Theatre Weekly) and 'above average backstroke for his year group' (Charlie's swimming coach). As seen / heard on BBC One, Sky Arts, BBC Radio 4.