Homepage News Reviews - Acts - Shows - Screen - Radio - Books - Clubs Interviews Awards 2006 Edinburgh 2005 - Reviews - Blog - Previews Features Archive Awards 2005 Edinburgh 2004: - Previews - Shows - Diary Guestbook Forum © Emporium Of Mirth 2004 Editor: Lauren Murphy Reporters: Fiona Wilkie Natalie Joanne	Emporium of Mirth The In Crowd The third and final series of this sketch show will be broadcast in the 6:30 comedy slot on Radio 4 (as was the second series). While there are few new characters introduced, regular listeners to the previous series will find reprised skits involving the bag ladies, Dr Webber (who seems to have mysteriously changed his name to Dr Vinkley) and the rambling camp man from the bus stop in the first series (that’s rambling in a talking-type way, not a walking-type way. Just to clarify). The show is recorded at the Comedy Store, Manchester, and is billed as a “Northern” comedy, despite the fact that its main driving force, Robin Ince, is quite blatantly from London. Robin is the best thing about this show. The other performers, Smug Roberts, Helen Moon and Kate Ward, seem to be lacking in either comic timing or acting ability. The effect of the far from weak writing could be improved ten-fold be a simple recast, to avoid Smug stumbling and mumbling over his lines, or an over emphasis from Helen. But, perhaps I’m being too harsh. The material is fun, occasionally dark, unpredictable and quite adventurous for the early evening time-slot, with jokes about a father beating the ugliness out of his hideous son as a child, and animals getting their heads stuck between the bars of cages in a zoo. One of the writers, Martin Mor, is also the warm-up act for the recording, who attempts to write his own review in my notebook: “IRISH GUY= BIG TICK”. Never let it be said we don’t let people have their own say on this site! His warm-up is gentle and quick, leading efficiently on to the main reason everyone is there in the first place. Although this show is by no means ground-breaking, it’s better than a lot of comedy you’ll hear/see. Don’t watch the telly, listen to The In Crowd. The In Crowd will be broadcast on Radio 4, 6:30pm every Tuesday from June 1st, 2004. Reviewed by Nat, Queen of the Air Waves RSS  Printable version	Visit our Siamese Twin Sister Site!