Anna & Katy at Edinburgh Fringe: Review

At the Fringe in '05 and '06, Anna Crilly and Katy Wix produced a marvellous and underrated sketch show under the bizarre moniker of Penny Spubb. It was silly and surreal, with odd characters and accents galore, infused with a palpable commitment and enthusiasm that forced the audience to suspend their disbelief and go with its gorgeously daft flow.

Both comics have since gone on to their own projects, with Krilly giving a frequently scene-stealing performance as Polish au pair Magda in the Jack Dee sitcom Lead Balloon, and Katy Wix appearing in various comedies and dramas, including latest Torchwood outing. Now they’re a little better known, they’ve reformed their double act under their own names and are back to tickle our fancy with more loopy shenanigans.

The loopiness is still very much intact: in fact, it’s been so long that it’s easy to forget just how off the wall some of the pair’s characters are. There’s Nigel and Jeff, two South African motivational speakers with incredibly long arms that give them the ability to fly; a couple of East European scientists demonstrating how to dissect a Danish pastry; and Anna & Katy’s original Japanese prototypes, shown in a video clip apparently performing their Princess Diana routine from 1997.

It’s all performed with a huge amount of enthusiasm from both women, and the spark between the two is a joy to watch. Katy in particular is prone to start giggling at their own jokes, a potentially irritating trait that’s made bearable by the fact that she clearly can’t help it: they just find each other’s company hilarious. The production is pretty slick, with short and very funny videos filling in the pauses for the many costume changes.

There does seem to be something missing when compared to previous outings, though. Perhaps it’s just the hunger and commitment of a new Fringe act, so apparent in ’05, that hasn’t quite survived now that they’re enjoying relatively successful careers. Perhaps their other projects mean they haven’t been able to spend so much time on each sketch, some of which feel a bit underworked and overlong. But their infectious silliness still makes them worth a look; and if you haven’t seen them before, you’d be advised to check them out before they go on to yet bigger things.