Edinburgh Fringe: Massive Dad 2.0: Step Up 2 Massive Dad

Massive Dad 2.0: Step Up 2 Massive Dad
Reviewed on August 10th, 2015
Pleasance Dome

by Michael Drew

Before I begin, I should make a disclosure: I spent the first 10 minutes of the show trying to subdue my inner hulk as my neighbour let out loud pizzicato bursts of laughter at seemingly random intervals. I know she was only enjoying herself but why did she have to enjoy herself next to me?

Now back to that review…

I wanted to buy what Massive Dad were selling – an endearingly silly all-female reboot of a tired sketch show genre that hasn’t progressed much since the 90’s. But likeable performances and impressively slick changeovers are let down by inconsistent material. Rocket and Honk – a period 70’s cop show as imagined by privileged young TV execs with dubious research skills – starts brightly but takes a few unnecessary turns (including into the 1870’s). A sketch about food envy lacks a truly satisfying punchline.

Perhaps my distracting neighbour has made me overly critical.  Massive Dad are clearly a talented bunch and there are moments when they sparkle. A sketch where storyboards are contrasted with the realities of live performance, is funny and imaginative. And best of the bunch is an absurdist sketch featuring an interviewee for an investment bank who commits the faux pas of wearing a particularly distracting piece of jewellery.

With more time to develop their material Massive Dad could be great, but for now they remain a tantalising work in progress.