Review: Frimston and Rowett

Friday 23rd April, 11.00 at the ADC Theatre. 

If Carling did comedy, Frimston and Rowett would be the rival, retailed at the price of Frosty Jacks.  At £5 the double act was an absolute scoop.  While they had energy it wasn’t dazzling or anarchic, and the content was really original, inventive and so clever, but importantly for two of our very own graduates, in no respect high brow. There was no need to fall back on cliches or innuendoes, bringing a fresh approach to the sketch show by allowing the scenes to run their course and developing some nice, if one-dimensional characterisation.  

When I stood up to leave it was 00.20.  Twenty minutes after the curtain normally comes down for a late show and twenty minutes too late.  I complain not because I had a clandestine arrangement I was going to be late for, but because with twenty minutes less of the weaker material, the show could have been something truly brilliant.  In some cases the sketches did drag, and then it was only in some of them that the punchline was worth the wait.  

To give an example, bringing back the booming public school boy 'Topper', and his encounters with different friends in different 'grown up' situations, quite so many times was excessive.  With each appearance the sketch did get funnier, while I wished more and more it wasn't by that point so familiar.  

Sadly the evening was tainted by some ill-timed and over-enthusiastic support from friends and general well-wishers.  It became an unwelcome demonstration of how disastarous canned laughter in the theatre could be, if anyone anywhere has ever thought it might work.  Despite the supporters good intentions, in reality, the clapping over-shadowed comedy strong enough to be carried by honest response.   

Rumour has it that Frimston and Rowett will be appearing on the May Ball Circuit.  Keep your eyes peeled.