*** Fringe stalwarts turn in another reliable satire compilation
Newsrevue have long been fixtures on the London and Edinburgh fringes. This year's show marks no departure from the trusted formula.
Four performers – two men, two women – plus a pianist. Just under an hour of quick-fire sketches on fairly topical events (or, in the case of the Edinburgh show, a compilation of the best of the last few batches). Some are scabrous rewrites of well-known songs, so that "Total Eclipse Of The Heart" becomes a number about the Turner Prize entitles "Totally Shit Modern Art". In London the company changes every few weeks, and has given work by now to hundreds of young performers, making it a fringe-theatrical equivalent of The Bill.
Some of the material is excellent, some so-so, some sick, some just flops around. But Newsrevue's trademark is moving so quickly and energetically that the mistakes never quite catch up and overwhelm the show. It's not revolutionary, it's not sensational, but it's an agreeable enough way to spend part of an evening.
Written for divento.com
Copyright © Ian Shuttleworth; all rights reserved.
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