November 9, 2005
At first it would appear that the Oxford Revue is just a random sequence of sketches, united only by the fact that it’s always the same performers in the same clothes. Yet this year’s team manage to sustain certain motifs without losing the fast-paced haphazardness that is the essence of the enterprise. All the favourite taboos are here: death, sex, religion (and, surprisingly, each in equal measure), and as with all good comedy, they mercilessly turn the spotlight onto society’s hypocrisies. This is not to say that the Oxford Revue is ever anything less than fifty minutes of great fun.
Music features prominently in all the best sketches. The cursing cruise-liner chanteuse is inspired, certainly more deadpan and depressing than Dido, and Max Pritchard’s goofy Home Counties spoof on Eminem’s ‘My Name Is’ turns the posh gap year kid’s propensity for witless chatter into satirical gold. Add these to Adam Perchard’s morbidly camp music-and-movement, which bookends the show, and you just about get the gist of what it achieves: a neat balance between a very English type of observational comedy, obsessed with class, crabbed bingo callers and the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the more familiar ‘Oxbridge’ elements of surrealism, non-sequiturs and clever puns.
Not all of it works, but then which sketch show hasn’t had its duds? Some pieces start off slowly and stiltedly (leaving you with the hope that Tom Williams’ gormless TV presenter will return) only to open out in unexpected ways and end to the accompaniment of all-round audience giggles. It proves that the Oxford Revue team don’t just want to go for the instant punchline; there are well-constructed narratives throughout.
Nevertheless, there are still plenty of gags that reach where it hurts most, not least a couple of politically incorrect snippets which manage to play with the very idea of PC. But if you hear any cries of ‘ouch’ you needn’t worry; it’s not an audience member taking offence. It’s just the sound of sides splitting.
Music features prominently in all the best sketches. The cursing cruise-liner chanteuse is inspired, certainly more deadpan and depressing than Dido, and Max Pritchard’s goofy Home Counties spoof on Eminem’s ‘My Name Is’ turns the posh gap year kid’s propensity for witless chatter into satirical gold. Add these to Adam Perchard’s morbidly camp music-and-movement, which bookends the show, and you just about get the gist of what it achieves: a neat balance between a very English type of observational comedy, obsessed with class, crabbed bingo callers and the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the more familiar ‘Oxbridge’ elements of surrealism, non-sequiturs and clever puns.
Not all of it works, but then which sketch show hasn’t had its duds? Some pieces start off slowly and stiltedly (leaving you with the hope that Tom Williams’ gormless TV presenter will return) only to open out in unexpected ways and end to the accompaniment of all-round audience giggles. It proves that the Oxford Revue team don’t just want to go for the instant punchline; there are well-constructed narratives throughout.
Nevertheless, there are still plenty of gags that reach where it hurts most, not least a couple of politically incorrect snippets which manage to play with the very idea of PC. But if you hear any cries of ‘ouch’ you needn’t worry; it’s not an audience member taking offence. It’s just the sound of sides splitting.