Short, to the point, random, funny… sketch shows tend to be a mixed bag, some jokes hitting the mark, others not so much. They all play with the unexpected, the socially inadequate, or the outright surreal to get the right response from the audience. As such, The Unexpected Items do a good job, always keeping their public wanting more and laughing at every sketch they perform.
Their translated conversations for the opposite sex are the highlights in an hour-long show with no low points whatsoever. Same goes for the no-arms music group or the Britney Spears’ song reinterpretation. If a few of the vignettes don’t have quite the same impact, the constant change and swift pacing of the short stories allows you to move quickly on to something more memorable.
Tom Williams (who also has a solo show this Fringe) seems the most likeable of the lads, though both Matt Lacey and Adam Reeve have a lot going for them as well. Best, though, are both girls, Katharine Hill and Sophie Alderson, who quickly steal the show with their witty remarks, expressive, underplayed facial expressions, and superbcomedy timing.
The Unexpected Items know how to play for the jam-packed audience, and their winks and nods to several members of the public makes them even more likeable. Their final routine, though extremely random, leaves you giggling for hours, safe in the knowledge that this group has many more years ahead of them. Here’s to an even better run next Fringe.
3/5 
Adrian G. Velazquez
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