@ Just The Tonic at The Caves, until Sat 29 Aug 2015 @ 20:35
London Sketchfest finalists Norris and Parker graduated together in 2009 and have since hit their quarter life crisis, struggling with student debt, meaning they can only afford Dairylea cheese, not brie. Although Norris thought they were doing a contemporary dance piece at the Traverse, they are actually doing sketch comedy in a cave. “I know how you feel about sketch comedy,” you think they are “failed actors”. It’s this kind of self-deprecation and insecurity at being female comediennes, that makes All Our Friends Are Dead a relentless hour of fun.
The comedy duo, dressed in lycra catsuits, open with an anti-hipster song, Everyone Wants To Be A Twat, which is an automatic crowd pleaser. They then take you through a series of dark sketches that are ridiculously funny and well written, and are often interrupted with best-friend fights. It’s their weird, often sexually confused, bond which makes this double act work so well.
As well as an insight into their friendship, travels and sex life (or lack of) we are treated to a tonsil-torturing belt-out Disney parody Meat, an inappropriate-for-under-tens Mancunian poet, and a widow choir dedicating songs to their late husbands. Although none of the sketches link up, it’s a well timed, quick paced show and any mishaps from the likeable duo are instantly forgiven. With feminist ideas, light Tory-bashing and audience dating, the pair manage to be intelligent and cringeworthy at the same time.