Sketchatron is on of several Best-Of-The-Fringe type shows on this year. The recipe is very simple: take five different comedy groups, allow them roughtly ten minutes each to present highlights from their shows or exclusive material, and rotate gently each week to incorporate other acts.It is therefore rather difficult to review Sketchatron itself as it depends entirely on the quality of the performers and material shown at that particular performance, yet in a few days a completely different line-up will be in place.Nevertheless I was impressed with the overall slickness of the show as a whole; all too often variety shows such as these get too messy and complicated due to over-exuberant MCs and too much kerfuffle as the acts change over. Here each handover is dealt with by a concise voice over and the acts run through like clockwork. Appearing on this occasion were the outstanding Idiots of Ants (the best of the bunch today), a rather lacklustre Tommy and the Weeks, the solid Thankless Child, the very funny Cardinal Burns and the infamous Pappy's Fun Club. Compared to a lot of other Best Of shows I've seen over the years, Sketchatron definitely had an almost faultless display of talent, as well as a very large audience who were whooping and cheering throughout. Coming out of the show, I found myself so taken by two of the groups that I went immediately to book tickets for them. Mission accomplished I'd say.....
