Lady Garden 2009 Review

Looking through the back-catalogue of press for Ladygarden, it becomes clear that this all-female sketch comedy troupe demand, for once, an unpatronising, unflirtatious, unsexed review – one where words like “sexy” and “pretty” have no place. Not in the figurative sense, you understand; they actually demand it, onstage, with all the crotch-grabbing, breast-squeezing, morris-dancing, zebra-print high-heeled low-cut crassness they can fit into an hour. They’re not trying to be sexy. They’re trying to be funny.

And they are very, very funny. The six former Manchester University students possess the talent to return the sketch show to its rightful place at the forefront of British comedy. Their timing and onstage rapport is flawless, and they display a commitment to the many characters they conjure that rivals any actor in a full-length theatre production. Shocking, witty or insightful in turn, every one of their sketches is a success, and while the range of their material may be somewhat limited, questions of social and national identity in Britain are alluded to, if left unspoken.

It’s when addressing gender that Ladygarden are at their best. An early sketch that turns the stereotype of ‘lads on tour’ on its head leaves the audience in no doubt that any baggage relating to traditional roles should be checked at the door. So, reviewers who develop a bit of a pash for Ladygarden should stop writing about it in code, screw up the courage and chat them up in person. Now, can anyone tell me where they hang out?

Read our 2008 review of Lady Garden at Edinburgh Fringe