2010 Edinburgh Fringe
Pappy's review
2010 and Pappy's is down to three members, having lost Brendan Dodds and their 'Fun Club' moniker. So what's different? Well, not much, material-wise: there is a crisis in the Pappy's camp; this time around they need to find someone to invest in their business or else. Perilous situation - tick.
How will they get out of it? Cue a series of sketches showcasing what Pappy's is best - and joyously - known for: bonkers characters and general messing about for the remaining hour. Sketches which let Tom Parry go a bit mad - tick.
This year we are presented with, among other things, a mishap on the podium at a sporting event, a sweet dog who hides his amazing talent under a bushel and a villainous female French sketch group. Recurring themes throughout show - tick.
So it looks like Pappy's are indeed All Business, as in they have certainly stuck to the formula, and while I like them - and have experienced some genuinely tear-inducing laugh-out-loud moments in their company - this year's offering was merely good. I was hoping for more.
Some have said the loss of Brendan is unnoticeable. For me, he acted as the sane port in a daft storm. I wonder if the remaining trio have realised the value of a straight man? I only say this because their performance, at least on this occasion, wasn't quite as silly as some gigs I've seen before; they seemed to be exercising an abnormal amount of self-control and sticking to the script. Regardless, I don't think I could bear going to the Fringe without seeing them, as they are they a staple of my comedy diet. It's an hour of easy fun - and that's what Pappy's is, and always has been, all about.