Presented by Will & Noah
Review by Eloise Robertson
The Wee Coo at Underbelly, George Square
Dinner Dinner Chicken Winner is a show built on incredible vibes. Two dapper young gentlemen, with flawless chemistry, invite you into their absurd world of winners and losers; it’s almost like attending the Oscars, but the jokes are actually funny. With a satisfying mix of belly laughs and witty ideas (sometimes even put together), Will and Noah’s latest offering is a full, ridiculous package of fun.
To whet our appetites, they launched straight into a sketch for which the appropriate response was, “yes boys, very clever”. Structurally, it was reminiscent of John Finnemore’s Souvenir Programme; with characters introduced through funny dialogue then slowly revealed as beloved, famous figures. Leading with wit rather teed the audience up for some silliness, for which the TV’s pre-recorded skits proved the perfect answer. It is a rare treat for a TV screen to feel well-utilised, a valuable and funny addition to the show, rather than just a naff compensation for breaks in the performance.
Across the following sketches, our plates were stacked up with absurdity. From the football dad’s pitifully funny “No mums!” to Arm and a Leg’s “Suppose you can’t say that anymore”, they gave classic tropes new life with fantastic characterisation. These great moments were brought to life by an audience interaction style which let us feel thoroughly in on the joke. For all the awkwardness of being thrust into the spotlight, they created a space where participation felt rather freeing.
The loudness of the laughter in these best moments certainly made it more noticeable when jokes didn’t quite land. While that’s not a terribly bad problem to have, they could do with cutting or adapting a few gags to keep the bellyache more consistent. Their most undoubtable success – where laughs risk drowning them out – is in songwriting; as soon as the music started up, the crowd submitted to have ridiculous amounts of fun.
A sure sign of great sketch comedy is the ability to round-off a dozen hilarious vignettes with a satisfying ending; for this show, there was nothing more satisfying than to end with a well-deserved smugness at their own winnings.
Well-Deserved Smugness
Will & Noah: Dinner Dinner Chicken Winner runs Venue 300, The Wee Coo at Underbelly, George Square at 16:20
Running time – Sixty minutes
Review by Eloise Robertson (contact@corrblimey.uk)
Eloise is studying her fourth year of a Philosophy degree at University of Edinburgh, but she spends far too much time costuming student shows and writing opinion pieces for The Student. Since returning from her year abroad in Australia, she’s worked Bedlam Fringe and thrown herself back into Footlights and EUSOG by costuming both their main term shows. At the same time, she’s increasingly found her true passion in writing, and will begin her Master’s in International/Human Rights Journalism next September.
Eloise is a lover of all things camp and comedic, so she’s super excited to review stand-up, clowning, drag, musical theatre, and much more! At the same time, she’s a literature nerd who loves to see a reimagining of a traditional, emotive piece; whether it’s a one man Vanya or unicycling Bottom.
