Lola and Jo @ Underbelly Cowgate

Variety and surprise characterise this powerhouse female sketch duo’s fast-paced and entertaining show. Led by proctors Leslie and Jackie (who are working on behalf of Lola and Jo), the premise of the hour is that of an audience led focus group analysing several potential sketches.

The context seems intentionally meta and far-fetched but cleverly also provides significant opportunity for audience engagement. The set is at best "rubble" comprised of strewn pringles, dolls and unidentifiable clothing, which Leslie and Jackie violently comb through in an hour.

Both women get optimal opportunity to showcase their exemplary character work (particularly accents) with Jackie’s unwavering confidence in every situation complementing well Leslie’s unapologetically deadpan sense of humour. Some narrative nuance gets lost in the layers in addition to some transitional dialogue failing to keep pace with the chuckle-inducing jokes of the sketches. This makes the show, at times, feel like a lot of effort. All that said, the women's impressive ability to take an innocuous situation and pull its circumstances apart like soft bread is flawless, as is their delivery and synchronisation.

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Lola and Jo: Focus Groupies, Underbelly Cowgate (Delhi Belly), 2-26 Aug (not 13), 4pm, £6.50-10

Scroll on to read more of The Skinny's 2018 Edinburgh Fringe comedy reviews; click here for a round-up of all the best reviews from this year's comedy and theatre programme