Viscerally talented sketch comedyRating
Good
More than anything, Knocked Conscious set a good pace to their evening of sketch comedy. Showing as much athletic as comedic talent, the group of four (Mungo Russell, Henrie Allen, Gayaneh Lara, and Calum Maclean) take the audience on a whirlwind journey during 70 minutes at Riverside Studios, to feature everything from a papal conclave to the many funerals of a diminishing barbershop quartet.
The transitions between each of these are rapid and usually feature a blast of music that extends the joke, before the stage is re-arranged and the next sketch starts. The choreography always comes off without a hitch, and the group show serious talent when it comes to their collective imagination as well as the harder nuts and bolts of the medium.
The sketches themselves can be a little uneven however, giving the sense that the group are throwing dozens of styles against the wall and seeing what sticks. At their best, they combine both the snappy and surreal quality of great social media bits with the form and intelligence of classic sketch comedy, while at their worst, they lack either. Things never get dire though, with the group rarely putting a foot seriously wrong, and due to the rapid pacing, something new is always subsequently ready to follow up and hopefully be more hit than miss.
The least funny parts remain decently funny, but the highs could do with being a little higher. Near the end of the night, it does feel like some greater risk-taking or gear change is needed instead of more of the same. Additionally, quite a few sketches can go on for too long without decent payoff (looking at you, Thames Water) or pull back before they really get going.
A great example of this talent is the Barbershop Quartet, where every time we return to them, another member is no more, yet the quartet are determined to persevere despite leaving huge gaps in their routine. It’s performed well and initially quite funny, but we quickly see where things are headed so the punchline is always anticipated. By the third time it is played it’s played, the sketch has nothing new to offer and simply lacks punch. Something more needs to be injected here, and with a group as gifted as this, it’s practically expected.
This company has incredible foundations and it’s impossible not to enjoy their highlights. Still, some further refinement or flash of insight is needed before their work can fully live up to those same talents. Rest assured though, there’s greatness here bursting to come out.
Written and performed by Mungo Russell, Henrie Allen, Gayaneh Lara and Calum Maclean
Knocked Conscious runs at the Riverside Studios until Saturday 11 April
