Edinburgh Fringe 2025
Low Down
A Bad Taste Show is a fast paced, high energy sketch show with four actors who create multiple well thought out and easy to distinguish characters
Review
Before the official start of the show, there is an announcement asking the audience to turn their phones off. Instead of the mundane, predictably usual message, this is a voice over with a twist. It immediately grabs our attention and makes us laugh. It clearly sets us up for what is to come.
The sketches are well written – a heady mix of tension and wit, they are punchy, relevant and concise.
Jim Glaister gives a genius portrayal throughout – from being the ” frisky” partner who gets his wife’s attention by cleaning to leading the ” despair shop”. His comic timing, the changes in his movement and the way in which he creates so many different characters is not only engaging, but highly admirable and above all successful.
Corrinne Strickett creates multiple effective characters – from a dominatrix parent to a doctor – you cannot help but laugh as she completely changes her personality and demeanour for each role.
Poppy Lowles was the source of many laugh out loud moments, including the Margarita Mum, and a disastrous date. She has a strong stage presence which made us want to engage and watch her every time she appeared.
Aaron “Skip” Bartlett created so many different but compelling and mesmerising characters as well. Sometimes a few simple props were used, such as a wig, but at times it was hard to remember he was performing it was so believable.
The sketches were funny, and we were drawn to so many of the characters. They were all well thought out, and effectively delivered. It was clear this was well designed, thought out and it evoked a range of emotions in the audience. The pacing was maintained as very snappy and swift throughout. In order to improve this performance even further, I wonder about reducing the number of different characters/sketches. For example, the ” despair shop” was hilarious primarily because we engaged so well with Glaister’s character as it was so well developed with clear similarities to a well known TV series. The mannerisms and facial expressions he produced bang “on time” with such ease provoked much merriment. We wanted more of these sketches and perhaps some of the other sketches could be replaced.
This was a thoroughly entertaining performance. A combination of a punchy, relevant script with clearly defined and easily distinguishable characters made for compelling viewing. It evoked questions, it was warm, we didn’t feel ” attacked”, and it made us raucously laugh on many occasions. Would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for some light hearted fun.
