When you go to see a sketch show you want to see an hour’s worth of slick and hilarious skits. More often than not this isn’t the case, as companies slip into self-indulgent in jokes rather than producing laughs for the masses. Fortunately Chip Monk aren’t one of those shows.
From the first chorus of Cross 2 Bear (a Christian boy band complete with a crucifixion dance) you know we are in dark territory. They don’t go as far as probing really disturbing subjects, such as pedophilia, but do haunt places other sketch shows won’t touch.
While some sketches just don’t take, the majority of the material is uproariously funny and will amuse even the most straight-laced audience member. Their delivery is faultless and, while they don’t have the dark intelligence of troupes such as The Black Sheep, their material is inspired, if a little questionable at times. Twisted skits like the perverted ventriloquist’s dummy and feminist interpretive dance really strike home, but you really have to question the thinking behind the high kicking Klu Klax Klan and baby-smashing Stomp.
With dross such as The Sketch Show polluting the sketch genre it’s nice to see shows like Chip Monk bringing laughter back to the fore. Admittedly all the ideas don’t strike gold, but more hit the spot than not. They won’t leave you questioning your existence, but you can’t help but wonder how good their full length Hamlet would be. Confused? Go check it out for yourself.
4/5
Richard Biggs
