Comedy review: Lucy and Des show off...

Published on Friday 22 August 2008 21:11

LUCY AND DES SHOW OFF… *** PLEASANCE COURTYARD (VENUE 33)

IT SEEMS an odd kind of venture, probably dreamed up late one night around a comedians-only bar, but putting steady Fringe hands Lucy Porter and Des Clarke in their own sketch show actually works quite well. You do get the feeling they're winging it for rather large chunks of the show, but at least they have the charm and skill to pull it off.

Yet two of the Fringe's most affable stand-ups seem to find it hard to leave their first discipline behind. There's a bit of introductory chat and then a series of links, which see the pair ad-lib and interact with the audience, and Clarke in particular switches into gag-dropping mode when he has to fill for a minute or two. Their sketches – about things like competitive dog-walkers and 1980s board games – are fun but unpolished, although a pair of the Fringe's finest sketch show guests will showcase their own performances in every edition.

It's a fun and unforced early evening hour. Most likely the duo aren't doing this in the hope Channel 4 come along and offer them their own sketch show, though.

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