News Release Witty Minds at Work - Season 4 Guardian Review Friday, July 13, 2007 Back (Press Release Index) Witty minds at work Bill McFadden The Guardian Friday, July 13, 2007 In this, their fourth season, Sketch 22 takes us on a "Journey to the Centre of The Funny." Through a series of often very funny satirical pieces we are forced to answer the questions "What is funny?" and "What makes us laugh?" These will be answered in different ways, largely dependent on where we are on our own journeys. In the skit "Tammies Come Home" one Tammie asks the other Tammie, "Is there anything you wouldn't do?" By the time the evening had come to a close it would appear that there isn't much. This comedic group felt right at home finding humour in everything. I remember seeing a sign once which read, "Profanity is the sign of a weak mind trying to express itself." While this show manages to incorporate most of the words which might make the "righteous" tremble, there wasn't a sign of weak minds at work. This is a clever, witty group of individuals. A lot of hard work and creative energy went into making this show a success. While many of the pieces could use a bit of pruning, the show hung together well. There was a nice mix of live action and taped segments which compliment each other. My favourite piece, which was the only one which brought me to laugh aloud, was "Peter! Peter!" The deadpan looks on everyone while they dealt with Harmony's new boyfriend were quite amusing. Also enjoyed the James Bond send up. Having grown up during the period of the Berkley free speech movement, it was interesting to see how we are rarely shocked anymore at what comes out of performer's mouths. Some 20 or 30 years ago, this show would have had trouble getting past the ever-present thought police. The mostly younger audience, mind you when you're 60 everyone looks young, seemed to enjoy themselves. The theatre rang with their laughter throughout most of the show. Not sure how much was due to the material and how much to seeing their peers at play. Being able to quaff your favourite beverage might also have made for a positive reception. The Gnild is a better venue for this sort of production then it has been for some others I have seen here. The use of taped skits worked extremely well and were some of the best of the material. Some of the live sections were a little ragged. All the actors performed their characters well and showed a wide range of ability. My favourite actor would be Dennis Trainor. Harmony's voice was a bit low in places, especially when playing the nurse. From what I have seen on television lately, this show is probably suitable for most ages but probably will have the best response in a postadolescent audience. The set was simple but served the material well. Most of the props and costumes were nicely put together. The filmed segments are a good indication that the level of moviemaking here on the Island has made some fine headway. This should bode well for the Island film community. I'm sure this show will appeal to enough folks to make this a successful season. -30- Sketch22 Media Contact - Jason Rogerson, (902) 368-2392 / jason@sketch22.ca