Watson and Oliver
The pair have the talent for acting, singing and, most importantly, timing to make their show highly enjoyable throughout
Sketch shows add a theatrical dimension to comedy, and Lorna Watson and Ingrid Oliver successfully pull off this particular comedic genre with a fast-paced hour of short sketches. These include famous biblical scenes with the characters presented as immoral modern personality types, a joyously 'budget' opening ceremony for the London 2012 Olympics, and a faux-erotic dance shared by Steffi Graf and Boris Becker. The material is strong, and both Watson and Oliver have the talent for acting, singing and, most importantly, timing to make their show highly enjoyable throughout.
Where they fall down is a lack of clear artistic purpose. This would make a perfect childrens' comedy show, for example, were it not for the age-specific references that would go over their little heads. And for out-there zaniness, Watson and Oliver haven't the commitment (or, whisper it, imagination) of Anna Crilly and Katy Wix of the brilliant Penny Spubb's Party who are sadly not scheduled to appear at this year's Fringe. That said, last summer Watson and Oliver were on fire, and from this showing there is good reason to expect they'll yet evolve into one of the best acts around.