SHOW REVIEW: When THE SICK SENSE Get ‘Stranded’ In Belfast
THE SICK SENSE have been together for about 3 years as the group they are, though they have known each other longer through a lot of different projects. They have played to sold out shows, in the likes of the Belfast Comedy festival and the MAC, which is a unique thing since they don’t do many shows. It is a testimony to their unique toilet humour approach descending from the likes of That Was The Week That Was, Monty Python, The Young Ones, and Bottom.
And that was to continue unabated at their sold out show in the Strand Arts Theatre in East Belfast.
As ever it is a mixture of video skits and live sketches that creates a different vibe where some of the time you feel you are at home watching a load of funny YouTube shows, but with the whole neighbourhood invited, and so an interesting dynamic is created.
Off the show went with a wonderful video intro voiced over by a voice approximating Alexa, beginning quite innocently enough until the profanities started dropping like over-ripe Marula fruit which the audience niavely eats before the sudden kick hits. It showed quickly that everyone there, from all stratas of society, were joined together with a sick sense of humour. The thought of the likes of Alexa just suddenly swearing at you is very amusing indeed.
Then into the actual video sketches with “Toilet Paper” and “Baldy Ballix” immediately sets the theme for the rest of the night. Shot, sweet, rude and very, very funny. There was also a number of “First Date” skits following the disastrous exploits of the four hapless daters as they look for love. Landing back in the show, and still funny, was the series of “Late Night Quiz” skits as the callers keep proving how idiotic they are frustrating the host more and more. “Cop Stop” provided another off piste twisted punchline.
The first live sketch was “Job Interview” which has been previously just a video sketch. It works just as well live and the laughter from the audience was just continuous – that almost silent laughter as they try to hold it back because of the situation being presented to them. Think Monty Python’s Life of Brian Bigus Dickus piece.
Also thrown into the video mix was “An Awkward Crossing”, “Superman and the Mugging”, and “McDonalds”. Again all hilariously inappropriate that makes it very difficult to not laugh. Mostly continuously. the punchlines are just so on the money.
Another live sketch was “The Art Show” where two Dutch artists are interviewed, one only able to respond through drawings, lead down a very hilariously subverted route. It does include some dominance and subservience.
More video sketches like “No Filter Phil” and “Baby”, interspersed with more “First Date” and “The Writers Room”, kept the twisted people in attendance holding their sides.
Another live sketch was “Edelweiss”, just a piece of take-down perfection.
After the interval THE SICK SENSE just kept hammering home chuckles, smirks, and laughter where societal norms tells us we should not find it remotely funny with the live skit “Fan’s Script”, and video sketches “Blowjob”, and more of the series sketches. After “Two Women and One Trevor McDonald”, a comedic sketch of unrequited love came the classic “Starry Night”, before “Working At Home”, “Get In My Car”, “Alien Object”, “Funny Gets The fanny” and “Gloryhole”. Each one delivered with a physicality that just underlined the punchlines.
They finished off the show with, what else but the “Greatest Showman”.
THE SICK SENSE are still finding their groove, which becomes more apparent with the new material they are adding to their repertoire. Some is just funny becuase its inappropriate, other sketches are funny because it perfectly mixes the crude with an intellectual approach. This is not that they are suddenly moving to high brow material, its just that it hits the funny bone of several levels like “Starry Night”, “Gloryhole” and “Two Women and Trevor McDonald”. They hit you with something unexpected where you are just about able to think”I see what you did there” in-between uncontrollable laughter.
If you have a slightly dark sense of humour, or even a repressed one, THE SICK SENSE are fantastic home grown talent that will not disappoint.
Listen to the interview with THE SICK SENSE before they did the show.
Their next show is in The MAC on 13 April 2019.
