Comedy Bitch - Them Is Us

It’s difficult to know exactly what to expect from a show entitled Comedy Bitch. In the dark, sweaty recesses of the Underbelly, the name invokes unsavoury images of dancing dogs, gangsta rap standup or even angsty feminist bluster. Thankfully, this six-strong ensemble delivers something altogether more straightforward: a collection of sketches exploring the human condition, from relationships and rejection to biscuits and bestiality.

Beginning with an engaging B-movie parody in which the cast open a sinister ancient tome, the audience is then treated to a unique and well conceived take on David Lean’s Brief Encounter and a reality TV send-up in the form of Britain's Next Top Spy. Tightly written, well rehearsed and delivered with aplomb, Them Is Us is paced so that its disparate sketches either coax a slow burning giggle or bludgeon guffaws from the audience that last into the following scene. Wordplay and witticism provide the former, whereas raucously silly tableaus such as David Hasselhoff’s visit to a McDonalds drive-through are the real crowd-pleasers. Infrequent lapses in pace come during a few overstretched scenes, while a slight sense of anti-climax nags when the performance—like the opening scene's book—is not brought to a more definite close.

Still, in their second year at the Fringe Comedy Bitch prove themselves to be a exciting prospect, with Ben Kewi’s collection of nonplussed losers a particular standout. The fact that the most elaborate prop used is a pair of tights stuffed with cotton wool illustrates the extent to which this troupe rely primarily on raw talent.