Dregs

Max Dickens and Mark Smith are a comedy duo with volumes of charm and a penchant for the unexpected. With this debut full-length show, Dregs treat unwitting audiences to a bizarre and imaginative series of scenarios, and deliver them with enough energy and enthusiasm to convert even the most reticent of crowds.

Mining previously untouched seams of surrealism and hilarity, Smith and Dickens cover topics as diverse and unexpected as synchronised swimming and the physical insecurities of dinosaurs.

From the off, they establish well defined characters for themselves, and both comics clearly revel in their contrasting roles. Indeed, the intermittent sections of standup which fall between Dregs' sketches carry a narrative arc all of their own, while the presence of a comic fall-guy—known as simply as John Dredge—allows for a sustained and unusually symmetrical plot line.

Inevitably, the double act dynamic can seem laboured and during their shows weaker moments Dregs' insistence on playing up to types can grow tiresome. At times, Smith and Dickens attempt to wring one too many laughs out of sketches that have grown tired through repetition or simply length. That said, the sheer conviction of the comics and their skill at working an audience means that the performance never falls flat.

Surreal, original and frequently surprising, Dregs are a cut above the average comedy duo and though it might not always be to your taste, someone will always be laughing.