Sammy J and Randy – The Inheritance

Sammy J and his foul-mouthed foam friend Randy (voiced and brought to life by formidable puppeteer Heath McIvor) are back in town for another musical adventure – and it's arguably their best yet.

Last time we saw the unusual double act they were dealing with tax avoidance in the sublime Rickett’s Lane. Now, in The Inheritance, the Aussie twosome are once more on the money trail following the death of Randy’s wealthy 107-year-old uncle. 

A clever false start fills newcomers in on the simple dynamic between Sammy (innocent, skinny) and Randy (vulgar, purple). Then it’s swiftly onto the opening number – a hyperactive ditty about filling in the census which, were it not for the filthy language, would not sound out of place on Broadway.

A trip to Uncle Edgar’s haunted house in England follows, where mysteries are investigated, swords are swung and puns are milked within an inch of their lives.

There’s a wealth of ideas, all tightly-scripted and performed with glee. It would be easy to be over-reliant on the simple pleasures of a swearing puppet but there’s real depth here. Shadow-puppetry, self-reverential asides and more of those wonderful songs combine to produce a daftly entertaining hour.

The Inheritance should be a hit with both Randy virgins and hardcore fans. Admittedly some of the more visual jokes have made appearances in previous outings, but when the gags are this good they can be forgiven for a little recycling.