The thought of Fringe sketch comedy can instantly set alarm bells ringing in the head of any hardened critic, as it conjures up too many images of disjointed, cringe-worthy skits that were clearly only funny when they were conceived in the pub. That and the dogged instance to use terrible puns in the show name. Fortunately, Lick & Chew are in a different echelon altogether.
This dynamic duo have set out to explore the relationships between men and women and each gender’s place in the world. This may sound a little highbrow for a skit show but when it is broken down into vignettes featuring speed daters, downtrodden-yet-happy East end wives and über-camp waiters, it is clear that their intent is a tad less cerebral.
The show is peppered with musical parodies and scandalous celebrity take-offs, which nicely stitch together the traditional sketch show elements, and show us that Lick & Chew have more than one string to their bow.
While Lick & Chew excel at painting well-drawn characters and parodies, it has to be said that the majority of the sketches are a bit protracted. This isn’t to say that they aren’t funny, as the inevitably are, but the extension of a gag merely serves to make in tittersome over a longer period, rather than delivering a short, sharp belly laugh. In many ways, this suggests that Lick & Chew would thrive in a TV environment, building up the gags over a number of episodes, rather than trying to cram their creativity into an hour.
In its current Fringe format, Lick & Chew definitely isn’t worth five stars but it is close, and is liable to be some of the best sketch comedy on offer this year. If nothing else just go to see the wonderfully conceived domestic set to a Queen soundtrack – it’s superb!
4/5
Richard Biggs
