Edinburgh Fringe 2015
Revan and Fennell: Fan Club
Revan and Fennell
Genre: Comedy, Sketch Comedy
Venue: C Nova
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
“Funny Women Variety Award winners Revan and Fennell make their observational, character-driven and fast-paced Edinburgh debut…” A series of highly enjoyable sketches delivered by two very skilled and personable performers.
Review
Revan and Fennell make a great team. The comedy duo support each other and work hard to entertain the audience throughout the show. They have developed a relaxed and friendly performance style that puts us all at ease the moment they enter the theatre. They launch straight into the performance with a series of fast paced sketches that have us all in fits of laughter. Simple homemade props are used with great success, sound effects well timed to create hilarious spoofs of shows like East Enders and the Lion King. A particularly brilliant parody of a classic detective film has me doubled over as inner monologues are played through the sound system and absurd interruptions punctuate the narrative. It’s all very entertaining and, in the midst of the Edinburgh Fringe, it’s a relief to find two performers having so much fun on stage and not taking themselves too seriously!
Despite the relaxed attitude, the sketches are well structured and have been devised with care and attention. It is this combination that makes the show so enjoyable. It’s obvious that both performers are in control of the material and know exactly where and what the other is doing. However, they still manage to retain an element of spontaneity and it’s an absolute pleasure to watch them laugh along (with the rest of the audience) as they ad-lib certain parts and discover new ideas. Some of the sketches offer witty comments about certain social situations or stereotypes and I would like to have seen them develop these ideas a bit further. Lighting changes could be used more effectively to accentuate aspects of the performance and distinguish between different scenarios. Overall the sketches, whilst original, stick within the confines of a fairly traditional sketch style and I would like to have seen them take more risks throughout the show. However, this is a great first show and I’m sure they will begin to experiment more as they continue to develop their craft.
These are two great performers with a hugely entertaining show. I would recommend it for anyone who enjoys traditional sketch comedy and is looking for a fun, relaxing hour and a really good laugh.
