A versatile variety show, on a night where the energy doesn’t quite match the madness on stage.
A&E Comedy is the brainchild of jesters, Abigail Dooley and Emma Joy Edwards. With the support of their trusty assistants, PC World and Roger That, the pair promise to tackle despair and disconnection with a joyous middle finger. Does this show meet the brief?
Do All The Things is a creative extravaganza of ideas and silly sketches to really get the party started. The duo take to the stage adorned in sequins as characters Suck It and See, perfecting the creepy, corny vibes of Saturday night TV presenters of yesteryear. The characterisation is on-point. After the introduction, the show flies through several sketches. A section with a female scientist collects plenty of laughs, and the backstage video snippets are funny and inspired. An attempt to physically ‘connect’ the audience brings some delight, but the metaphorical disconnect isn’t quite breached this time, for reasons that have nothing to do with the content of this show. The Thursday night crowd need to loosen-up a little, and the audience feel quite far from the stage.
The show has several intervals, giving time for those watching to ‘do all the things’ mandated. This somewhat spoils the energy they’ve been building at points. After one of the best moments in the show, where the audience have the chance to decorate the performers, an interval follows immediately afterwards, depriving us of the joy of seeing these sketchy ladies attempt a scene with custard pie smeared across their faces. The pair have the energy of a filthier, not-quite-so-funny French and Saunders, and we want more.
The energy really picks up in the final section, with a big tick on our task to ‘learn a dance routine’ and inflatable fruit flying through the air. Half the audience sprint gleefully to the stage, in a section that brings joy and merriment to many faces. Who knew that Brighton and Hove needed bouncing bananas to really get in the mood?
A&E Comedy demonstrate ample creativity and artistry in this interesting show. As reviewers, we have to evaluate the show we see in front of us, at the time and date we viewed it. Given the discord between the audience, time of the week and venue, it may be worth taking this review with a heavy dose of (glitter) salt. With Edinburgh Fringe awaiting, it’s clear that with the right energy in the room, this show could be a hoot.
Reviewed on 22 May 2025.
The Reviews Hub Score
A Filthier, Not-So-Funny French and Saunders
