As You Were

While absences leave their mark this collection of individual acts, the deal is sweetened by some great gags and free entry

Review by John Herrman | 08 Aug 2007
Although their promotional material implies that there is some kind of group element to the performance, the members of As You Were seem to share nothing more than a name. Todd Womack, who describes himself as “basically a giant baby,” (bald, high voice, zero money) delivers an inconsistent routine that ranges from awkward and shrill, to fast-moving and sharp. He never strays too far from predictability, but even when his jokes can be anticipated, they are often salvaged by energetic delivery or by one of his many accents, which, while always excessive, are bizarrely authentic. He is followed by fellow American Roger Hailes, who is a good deal more subdued. Hailes' jokes are a bit more polished than Womack’s, but draw unapologetically from his experience as a TV writer. This leads to certain contrivance and manufactured situations, though they admittedly sit a few notches above your typical sitcom gags.

Jeff Kreisler’s reputation as a highly cerebral and caustic political commentator made his absence at this performance particularly regrettable: his presence could have nudged this show from easy fun to hilarity. Whether or not he returns, the current lineup is funny enough to warrant a trip down Broughton Street and, besides, the whole deal is sweetened by the free entry.