This show bases its sketch and ad-libbing comedy on George W Bushs war on frightening things and more specifically 'terror'. When Bush finally left the Whitehouse in 2008 there was a breath of fresh air, as if everybody took hope that all the old and stale jokes about the regime that were starting to stagnate. It was simply too easy, as the scriptwriters were being outclassed by the genuine events. Oh What a Lovely War on Terror manages something quite excellent in making the old topic wonderfully funny and even revealing more novel and previously unaddressed issues. This hasnt come easily, and there has clearly been plenty of deeper research into the subject by this Cambridge based cast - at least more than most other comedians have attempted. They have exploited this comedic goldmine to great extent, while still keeping it genuinely laugh-out-loud. The topic of how The West 'started an un-winnable war against an abstract concept' does all the classic lampooning of the war-mongers, the hypocrisy, and the manic capitalism that landed The West with the fitting punishment of 'perpetual war'. Its not a laugh a minute because of the amount of reflection it causes, frequently abandoning the use of original script just to use the material written by the former world leaders. The energy and great characteristics of the cast are polished to perfection, with a better Tony Blair and other more squinty Whitehouse aides than 8 years of shows like Dead Ringers ever managed to accomplish.At the end, there was the comment that despite the post-war enquiries and all the suffering, none of those responsible will probably ever be held accountable, while pointing out that all we have as a weapon against them is 'public opinion'. This sketch comedy is the start of something new and wonderful. Now the shock and horror has subsided with the angst filled comedy that was wrapped up with it, now it is being replaced by very good shows such as this, that reflect with the benefit of hindsight. Its entertaining and empowering for the disenchanted and disenfranchised.
