The Horne Section, comprised of five musicians and comedian Alex Horne, delivers a silly couple of hours of musical entertainment, audience interaction, and stand-up. It is, in reality, a variety show where the performers remain the same and with the charm and stage command that The Horne Section has, you wouldn’t want any other act to interrupt.
Horne tells us that the show is funny but not “ha-ha” funny. We’re promised two jokes, in the second half, towards the end. Horne is not lying; the humour is primarily based on wordplay and doesn’t result in anyone doubling over in fits of laughter, but the funnier parts are, of course, the commentary The Horne Section make about the quality of the show. That warning that the show is not “ha-ha” funny is the sort of joke that elicits the most laughter. Finally, towards the end, this self-reflective anti-comedy and the clever wordplay culminate in a nifty reveal.
Much of the show involves highlights for the podcast fans or fans of the TV show. They bring joy in equal measure to those who’ve never heard them before. Fans of Taskmaster are also treated. However, this does feel a little unfun for performers and audience alike. Part of the joy of The Horne Section is seeing Alex Horne outside of that role, able to be himself and inhabit a different persona. One where he can have status and authority and, at times, mock his bandmates. So, when he shrinks back into his Taskmaster role and refers to himself as “Little Alex Horne”, the clash of worlds is discordant.
The highlight of the night is a visual gag in which Will Collier, wearing a horse mask, appears to have a panic attack. This moment, like others, embraces the chaos that is central to The Horne Section’s silly vibe. Even when the chaos becomes overwhelming, with audience members shouting out responses to questions long since passed, Horne is in control of the situation. His shtick appears not to be in control, and he’s in complete command of it.
The Horne Section are vibrantly chaotic, stumbling seemingly without a clear structure through the gig, and this has traditionally been what makes them special. How can something this disorderly be on The London Palladium stage? How can it be on Radio 4? Unfortunately, there are times when that sense of excited disbelief is lost. What was once a refreshing sense of functioning purposelessness now feels like going through the motions. Perhaps it’s time for The Horne Section to find direction, or maybe just find some new method of directionless chaos for their particular brand of pointless fun.
Reviewed on 11 October and continues to tour
The Reviews Hub Score
Silly musical fun
