I have watched shows from some strange places in the past, but this was the first time I had to watch the first ten minutes through a crack in the door. Having arrived one minute late for Twisted Loaf's show Half-Baked I had to wait for a suitable break to nip in. Once in I felt I should have watched the rest of this weird, discombobulating, occasionally sexy and frequently disturbing set through a crack in my hands.
Nina Smith and Libby Northedge’s avant-comedy sketch style has been compared to the work of John Kearns, but that barely scratches the surface. The few minutes I saw from outside the door were more redolent of earlier Foster’s Award winner Dr Brown – largely silent clowning where it takes a while to work out what is going on and even then you are never quite sure whether you are right about what is happening. Later on there is a spot of audience interaction – I’ll just say “mucky windows” – which also has a bit of Brown and Adam Riches about it.
After this scene-setter from 2013's Funny Women winners the sketches are often a little more rooted in conventional comedy grammar before spiralling into a universe of their own. Smith and Northedge plays posh horsey totty pointing at the men in the audience crying “hotty fitty” and later play TOWIE-type stereotypes but with a very warped twist. In fact a lot of the sketches have a very warped pay-off. A theme seems to be pushing language to its very limits. To call this “dark comedy” simply doesn’t do it justice.
In the most notable skit Smith plays what appears to be a paraplegic while Northedge cavorts around her. It made me think of Dennis Potter’s Brimstone and Treacle and the play Whose Life Is It Anyway? (not the impro show, look it up, I've given you the links). But maybe that was just me. Elsewhere Smith channels Harpo Marx while Northedge contorts her face, subverting her natural glamour.
Much of the time this is less comedy show, more David Lynch nightmare. Towards the end Northedge plays a torch singer whose song has minimal lyrics and makes no sense, while Smith plays it for straighter laughs in the background. It is as scary as it is comical.
It is hard at times to decide whether one is watching something brilliant or spectacularly bad and it’s my job to work these things out. The performances are clearly outstanding, but the humour takes some getting used to. Needless to say this is the kind of thing that will divide comedy fans. One thing is certain, you don't often see female comedians prepared to make such fools of themselves. Oh, and another thing. This might be very slightly overlong at 75 minutes, but it is never less than interesting.
Until Saturday. Tickets here
