Hannah Croft and Fiona Pearce caught the critics’ attention when they debuted at last year’s Fringe, so I had high expectations.
I saw this duo early in their run so I’m guessing that it will build in performance and confidence as the weeks’ progress. They cover an amazing array of characters, accents and acting skills in their fast paced one hour ‘pre-lunch’ show and a lot of women will identify with their material.
The brief for the show must have been ‘middle aged and middle class’ and I fit that demographic fair and square! What I liked was the witty writing and some clever ‘running gags’ which reprised characters throughout the show. What I didn’t like was the portrayal of middle aged characters by two very beautiful young women – not because I am a jealous, post-menopausal old hag, but because they couldn’t quite cut it to own the characters they have created.
A lot of character comedy makes a nod to some sort of appearance change (cardigan, wig, glasses) but these two use very few props, which is a good thing. However, comedy plays on the grotesque and their characters were not quite dark enough…yet. I’d hedge a bet, though, that they will be by the end of the run. That's the joy of the Fringe.
You don’t find out anything about Croft and Pearce, the women, in this show. It felt more like an audition for a television series; in fact one of the funniest sketches is about going for an audition for an advertisement. I’m sure the casting agents will eat them up.
As actors they are very competent, but the show lacks a certain comic spark that ignites the best sketch and character comedy here at the Fringe. I’d like to be there when something goes wrong –that’s when the real comedy magic will begin! Improvisation is the birth of invention.
A slick well produced show but more M&S than ‘home cooked’.
What they talked about: the Olympics, Women's Institute, fatal attraction.
Show Details: 12.00 noon, Gilded Balloon Teviot. BOOK HERE
Rating: 
Lynne Parker
