Laugh at the show then delve into YouTube hits
WHILE many may say that the golden age of sketch comedy went to the grave with the likes of Dermot Morgan, those who gathered under the big top at the Spiegeltent Paradiso on a recent Tuesday night will beg to differ.
Comedy trio Foil, Arms & Hog are breathing new life into a medium of comedy that seemed previously to have been on the wane.
Unless you are living under a rock, you will have seen one of the group’s sketches shared on social media, something which they draw attention to themselves in the show – ‘Do the one from the YouTube!’.
To take these type of sketches and pull them off in front of a live audience is a very different thing though, but the laughter eminating from the beautiful Spiegeltent certainly implied that these lads are well capable of doing it.
If you thought using your imagination was just for kids at the Bosco show in the tent, you were wrong. As if by magic Foil, Arms & Hog transported the audience to such locations as a balaclava shop, the jungle and an airport baggage drop, and filled the room with different characters despite being just three funny guys.
While the routines were often hilarious, some of the best laughs came from off the cuff encounters with the audience and the trio made full use of their wireless mics as they jaunted around the Spiegeltent interacting with the audience. One audience member, Sandra, ended up playing quite a bit part in the show, lending a hand with a number of sketches and being a great sport.
It is necessary to use your imagination for the show, something which won’t be everyone’s strong suit, but there’s no doubting that this is a funny group of lads, well capable of having the craic with their audience.
Seeing them live will not only give you a giggle, but it might even whet the appetite to delve back into their array of YouTube material once more.
(by Pádraig Byrne)