Ladies in Waiting: Brownie Re-union

An ageing and decidedly eccentric Brownie group leader, or Brown Owl, calls a reunion of her old Brownie lodge 25 years after they’ve all gone their separate ways. Back in the 80s, the girls all acted as Brown Owl’s ladies-in-waiting at her wedding. What follows is essentially a series of more or less successful character comedy sketches surrounding the various women’s lives as Brown Owl patiently awaits their return in the old lodge hall.

Unfortunately these are pretty hit or miss affairs, with some flashes of promising talent amid many more mediocre segments. Gareth Corke does an amazing job as the matriarchal Brown Owl, primly heckling the audience to sit still in their seats and stop fidgeting. Writers and producers Carolina Giammetta and Charlotte Palmer also have good moments, and aren’t afraid to strike up some banter with the crowd. The highlight of the show is probably Essex girl turned judge Julie, who is more interested in the defendant’s fashion sense than his crimes.

Some of the more uninspired routines include a pair of police officers struggling to contain giggles while a former child abuse victim gives a statement, which fails to seem more than slightly cruel. Another involves one character badly telling a joke while constantly being interrupted with corrections, an idea that was never going to let itself be funny.

Despite the frequently weak material the show is relatively lively and succeeds in creating a retro 80s vibe. It’s at its best when at its weirdest, but this is a show that doesn’t stand out as anything more than average.