Norris & Parker @ The Lowry, Salford, 28 Jan

Review by Mike Taylor | 03 Feb 2014

A major worry about a show likened to Brass Eye and The League of Gentlemen is that – like many inspired by the wonderfully surreal and dangerous citizens of Royston Vasey and the work of Chris Morris – its creators would simply lack the talent and originality to make their own unique worlds. Thankfully, though, while working along themes that have been mined by many before, Norris & Parker do make them their own. The bizarre isolationists, the power crazed, the sublimated, the sexually confused and more, come solidly to life tonight through the writing and performance of the duo with the help of their excellent three-piece backing band and off stage narration.

The show is basically a series of sketches, which often involve parodies of well known tunes. The parodies also benefit from the writing skills of Norris and Parker, which skirts away from obvious themes in favour of something more abstract. Versions of the many reality TV shows are well done, The Farmer Wants A Wife-sketch especially so, with Sinead Parker fighting an eventually losing battle with a recalcitrant moustache.

The Studio at the Lowry was an excellent venue for what was quite a physical show – easy and close access to the audience worked wonderfully. The gags came quick and fast, sometimes too fast and one could miss a good line laughing at a previous one, but then that is the welcome yet risky penalty of good comic performance.