Bad Dog Variety

The variety show is a lost art. Gone are the days of Sunday Night at the London Palladium, and few mourn their passing. Mawkish comperes, cheesy acts, toothless comedy – it all smacks of a bygone era. Entertainment for a more innocent age.

From the title of this piece you could be forgiven for thinking that it was being resurrected, but you'll not think that for long. Assuming that Bad Dog is fun-for-all variety would lead you into the trap which snared the family on the second row. They probably hoped to see a Formby-esque stint on the ukulele. What they got was the Syphilis Wizard.

This performance is filthy. Rarely have so many foul expletives been delivered with such brimming gusto. The humour is offbeat to the extreme and profane beyond measure. It's The Mighty Boosh meets The League Of Gentlemen in variety show format. The cast of four take it to the wire in a chaotic avalanche of sketches and characters to make your mind buckle and warp.

And there's the strength of the show, and also the weakness – the humour is less 'laugh out loud' and more 'feel like your head is going to explode.' Remember those moments in The Simpsons where a total non-sequitur throws you completely off? Imagine that except filthy, live, and for an hour.

You definitely won't be bored, but with a slightly more conventional core this production would hit a lot harder. Still, worth seeing. Just don't bring your children.