Casual Violence: A Kick in the Teeth

Tragicomedy sketch group Casual Violence are refreshingly dark. Their latest offering A Kick in the Teeth takes us to tense sketch comedy environments and isn’t afraid to explore their strangeness in search of a laugh. The result is a promising hour with strong performances all round and several memorable characters, the deranged ‘Poppyman’ selling Remembrance Day poppies a clear highlight.

Separating Casual Violence from the hordes of budding sketch comedy troupes at the Fringe is a comprehensive control of tone. James Hamilton has done a slick job of infusing the writing with their specific eeriness, further cultivated by their ‘keyboard sidekick’ who soundtracks the hour in a suitably unsettling manner. In truth, Adam Felman’s role is more integral than musical background or sidekick, despite being trapped at his keyboard stool he comes to shine in providing an element of musical comedy between set changes and during sketches. Here, Casual Violence demonstrate they have a keen awareness of the boundaries of sketch comedy and are able to experiment within them, while still maintaining their particularly intriguing collective voice.

Some scenes fall a little flat, with a lengthy ‘cop who is constantly narrating rather than taking action’ sketch risking the audience’s patience. But it’s clear this experimentation with the form aims to capture our interest and, along with their strength as performers, shows serious promise for the future.