Review: Men With Coconuts

Back for their second Adelaide Fringe, Edinburgh's Men With Coconuts give a crash course in comedy improv. Their long time working together is obvious: at times they seem able to telepathically communicate with one another.

The show itself is broken into three distinct sections. The first quick skit, the emotional rollercoaster, sees an uncomfortable interaction between a teacher and a student, which also fits in a quick-witted line regarding abuse of power. Accompanied by c on piano, the shifts between hungry and horny, sad and excited and everything in between are a joy.

The lion’s share of the show is a mini-musical. Tonight, being Valentine’s Day, the winning title is Dragon’s Valentine. What follows is a 20 minute piece which reads like a cross between a Tolkien adaption and a Disney film. Impressively, the final musical number is built into a three part harmony with layered voices. The final skit – watching two 600-year-old dinosaurs discuss love – could have done with a quicker cut-off and slowed down a troupe whose energy is so palpable and entertaining.