Specific Cabbage review: Weird Theatre is Back!
*** 3 STARS
Weird theatre is back y'all! And I've never been more excited. In the form of a very bizarre sketch comedy comprising of two university students on the precipice of adolescence, Kit Gale and Arthur Drury star in a multitude of roles ranging from a Santa Claus with a DUI (the story makes a lot of sense actually) to Harry Potter's Dobby who features as a sex slave fawning over his cum-ladled sock. Yes, you read that correctly. Think, Adult Swim meets "Weird Al" Yankovic or a really hilarious A-level drama performance between the two class clowns who would end up failing the class but have the entire class roaring with laughter so all was not lost. The class clowns that would probably go on to be Pete Davidson or Jonah Hill anyway. Specific Cabbage serves as an introduction to the dynamic duo, their theatre company of the same name, both Gale and Drury are dipping their toes into the comedy world. And the potential is there for something very brilliant.
Featuring a treasure chest of sketch comedy goodies on stage, a keyboard, and a couple of chairs, the set design is limited but it works. It works because it fits with the random hodgepodge on sketches they serve to the audience. Upon my arrival I didn't know what to expect, and I'm still quite confused. The writing is ten ten, Drury and Gale clearly have a very great knowledge of comedic timing and how to deliver a show that will hold the audiences attention. For 60 minutes, anything could happen on stage! I wish there was a little more adhesion between each sketch, something that would link each sketch together so that the conclusion is like the "aha!" moment. Whilst I thoroughly enjoyed each sketch (some more than others) as a singular piece, it's definitely missing an overarching theme or a dramatic point that is vital to theatre.
The acting is wonderful, with Drury's hyperarching right eyebrow that is almost a character in itself! Nothing is hard to believe, a sketch about robbery going wrong because they chose the one day all banks are closed (a bank holiday!) or a piece about Peppa Pig's parents traumatising divorce is written so well, it feels real(ish). Imagine your most random thoughts turned into a sketch show, that is Specific Cabbage however these guys can put on a show very well. Like a Kate Nash song, this duo takes the mundanities of everyday life and spins it into the most fascinating concepts. Considering this is their debut together, I am incredibly excited to see where they go from here. A strong introduction into the world of comedy and this team are barely out of university!
Creative Team:
Arthur Drury - Performer, Writer, Co-producer, Co-director
Kit Gale - Performer, Writer, Co-producer, Co-director
Isobel Lote - Writer
Emily Browning - Co-director