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 Impressionable Jon Culshaw The most adept phrase, methinks, to describe this show is “Dead Ringers for ITV”. It has many of the same writers, political jokes and impressions, and obviously Jon Culshaw is the driving force behind both shows. The main difference (apart from the lack of the other four talented members of the Dead Ringers team, who seem to have been usurped by Eddie Large in some hideous miscalculation by the casting team) is that there are far more references to “pop culture” in this show, obviously aimed at a less discerning audience than BBC2. Impressions high on the agenda include Jordan with the voice of Les Dawson (a genius concept, if more than a little scary), Robbie Williams and Des Lynam. What is outstanding about this show is Jon’s talent for impressions. It seems no matter which character the writers choose to throw at them, Jon can handle it and handle it well. The writing, as well, is by no means poor. It is refreshing to watch a Tony Blair impression without it ending in the stock phrases of Dead Ringers (“modest hand gesture, sincere teeth, caring forehead...”), or a newsreader that doesn’t recite song lyrics followed by the line “more on that story later”. Instead, Jon’s Trevor McDonald is conceptualised as a hip-hop artist stuck in the wrong job. Bong. I would advise a caution, though, in that these jokes may go the same way as the more recent series of Dead Ringers, and become boring and predictable. For instance, I don’t think I have ever laughed more at Jon than during the first week’s “Right Honourable Neighbour” sketch with Tony Blair and Gordon Brown (not to mention the comedy hair rollers). However, I was a little disappointed to see it resurface during the second week with hardly a change to the driving force behind the joke. The sketch was also peppered with references to the long dead “45 minute” claim, which had its satirical run over six months ago. Still, some aspects of the writing remain superb. The second week saw Russell Crowe’s two indomitable characters (from “Master and Commander” and “Gladiator” respectively) fight for superiority, with fantastically directed switches between filming styles depending on which movie is being imitated. Jon seems to like having two of himself on screen; George Bush and Ricky Gervais, Tony Blair and Michael Howard (the latter pair in a political remake of Dracula... do you get the feeling Ann Widecombe is going to regret ever making that statement?). Special mention should perhaps go to the cameos of Philip Schofield and Fern Britton, who sportingly introduce Jon in the role of This Morning’s agony aunt Denise, while she dishes out cutting and snide advice to callers. Bob Holness also unexpectedly surfaced during the second episode, which elicited an impromptu cheer from me. I will definitely tune in to the rest of this series, but perhaps with the hope that it won’t run for quite as long as Dead Ringers has, giving the jokes a chance to remain funny. Reviewed by Nat RSS  Printable version	Visit our Siamese Twin Sister Site!