Consistent and versatile, The Durham Revue deliver a hilarious show.
The show opens with a classic newsreader sketch which is fast-paced, the punchlines quick and incisive, and this kind of high energy sets the tone for the rest of the show. The sketches are at their best when they’re kept short, but the group rarely falter, and almost all of the sketches work. In particular, the writers have a keen eye for avoiding the obvious punchline and twisting things at the last second. Loud blasts of pop music follow quickly on from every sketch - often jokes in themselves, perfectly selected to match the preceding action - keeping the atmosphere charged and everything moving.
Elizabeth Bennet, Willy Wonka and Oliver Twist all pop up over the hour, and the character sketches, which feature a lot in the show, are very strong - a perfect way to take the audience’s expectation and subvert it. The performers themselves have great energy and poise, are not afraid to be silly, and are clearly having great fun with the show.
There is no weak link in the group. The Revue are very much a team, and although there are definitely a couple of standout performances, there is great chemistry between everyone, and everyone has their moments of comic genius.
Consistent and versatile, The Durham Revue deliver a hilarious show. There is a lot of fresh material here, and the group really give it their all. A very enjoyable hour.
