21/08/15

Gilded Balloon Teviot, Edinburgh

I didn’t think I liked sketch comedy. I don’t, much, when it’s on TV – when ideas and catchphrases are repeated throughout an entire season, and it all gets a little bit dull.

I discovered tonight, however, that I might like sketch comedy when it’s live – I liked this sketch comedy, anyway. They’re certainly popular; the venue was packed. It’s great to see strong acts getting the audiences they deserve.

Aunty Donna are three Aussie blokes (Broden Kelly, Zachary Ruane and Mark Samual Bonanno) and their frenetic, silly, high-octane antics kept the audience truly entertained. There was never a let-up in the pace (within minutes the trio were raining sweat upon the front row) and the sheer variety of sketches was most impressive. Standouts included the Bubble Bath Boys (who’d hijacked the show), a scene about taking in a ‘stray man’ and the recurring trope of ‘the man who…’ – a delightful piece of whimsy, which really made me laugh.

The ideas are all drawn together nicely at the end, making this a perfect choice for a Friday night show: it’s energetic, irreverent and a whole lot of fun.

4 stars

Susan Singfield