The Oxford Revue: Etch a Sketch
Aside from the stream of great thinkers and leaders which have emerged from Oxford University, there has also been a consistent flow of great comedians. These include Michael Palin, Rowan Atkinson and, er, Angus Deayton.
Yet as anyone familiar with Monty Python or Not the Nine O’Clock News will know, sketch comedy is a risky business in the search for laughs. The Oxford Revue makes full use of the medium and aren’t afraid to try a wide variety of comedy styles. Some of these are more successful than others. Most of the material, as with a Neighbours sketch and career prospects in accountancy, is satire, although often the humour is tilted more towards the surreal end of the scale than the satirical. The subject of class remains central to much of this – as with the Harry Potter sketch, where he is whisked off not to Hogwarts, but private school. As you’d hope from the Oxford Revue, the material is well written and thought out – although occasionally over acted and theatrically embellished.
A safe bet for anyone wanting some well written sketch comedy.
* * *
No comments:
Post a Comment