The perplexingly named One-Eyed Men are the very genial trio of Alex, Sam and Ben. They are clearly the best of friends and this free show aims to show Edinburgh the secret of their companionship success. This is sketch comedy in the traditional sense, based loosely around the theme of friendship. Beginning with a hilarious, if slightly disturbing, opening involving two of the performers suckling from the other’s ‘friendship tree’, they quickly show us that they are in on the joke too. Much of the humour is very old-school farce and they know when they’re wandering into cheesy territory and share the joke with the audience.
Sketch comedy is always only as good as the sketches. The One-Eyed Men take us through an enjoyable hour with some hits and some misses. There is a sketch based on role-playing games which is at times a beautifully crafted parody of the Lord of the Rings. They are at their best when they involve the audience and this is seamlessly worked as a recurring thread throughout the show. There are some slightly underwhelming moments, however, such as an extended sketch set in a chicken coop where the laughs are a little more thinly spread.
The strength of the One-Eyed Men is in their sheer enthusiasm. These are guys you’d like to have a drink and a laugh with. You want to be their friend. This is clever comedy that’s a bit rubbish at the same time and knows it well. With a bit more development these three will be going far. Catch them for free while you can.
