Crab Salad is an extremely witty, clever and well executed production, performed by the UCL Graters. Interestingly framed within the format of a talk-show, the sketch group takes a look back at their fictional career and examine the different directions they have taken since their break-up. Much like the arrangement in Jonathan Ross or Graham Norton, the show integrates ‘live performances’, an inspired idea that allows them to break free from the characters that they firmly establish, and display real talent in their stand-alone sketches.
Crab Salad: The Reunion is comprised of four group members: Julia, Dante, Max and Laurence. Each member brings something different to the stage and their banterful rapport disguises an underlying feeling of resentment and failure. Julia is the ‘writer, producer, director and star’ of the hit TV series ‘PC Mum’, Dante is a failed academic, not having enough GCSEs to get a PhD at Oxford, Max is a Hollywood star and Laurence reluctantly lives with him, as a housekeeper. The cool of this mismatched cast slowly disintegrates as past rumours resurface and old rivalries re-emerge. The characters fight for the limelight (with the exception Laurence who seems exasperated at his companions) and ensure that the crowd are laughing at their sneering remarks and quick jibes at one another.
The use of the video footage, intermittently placed throughout the show, was genius as the fake interviews with critics and fellow comedians added to the belief that they were an established act. A stand out part of the show was Laurence’s skit of Johnny Cash, forced to play Blink 182’s ‘All the Small Things’. Not only was this laugh-out-loud funny, I couldn’t help but notice his fantastic singing voice and guitar playing.
However, a few stumbling of lines meant that the performance seemed a little contrived and under-rehearsed. The framing device of the talk-show - although a very clever concept - seemed to detract a little from the skits which should have been at the centre of the performance as these were by far their strongest sections.
A satirical comment on the world of the media, Crab Salad is a fast-paced and very funny show, well worth going to see.
