2 Star

**

I first saw Maff Brown as a stand up a few years ago and rated him a comic, as subsequently saw him last year as a comedy actor too so it was no real stretch of my imagination to see him as a sketch artiste as well.

Maff, assisted by Will, Laura and Dave blast their way through a whole plethora of short, sometimes extremely short, sketches at a rate of knots, but the material in most cases leaves much to be desired. I think these guys well know, as much is delivered almost apologetically.

They can come up with the odd gem, pandas for example, but the reliance on puns, and a lot of them bad puns, really does not make for an enthralling show. It did cross my mind that the direction was being done ironically, to make it appear ‘studenty’ but if that was the case then I think most of the audience missed the point.

Reviewed by Geoff

Gilded Balloon Sportsman

Until 26 August

17-45 to 18-45