Seen at Edinburgh Festival Fringe on the 11th of August 2023
3 stars – funny carousel
Sandy Surname is unemployed (and overqualified), and three job coaches assign him the craziest job opportunities on the market. Sandy finds himself casting the next city Cryer, sailing with a crazy captain, trying to spot a very secret secret agent, and so on.
This absurdist sketch comedy slides from a joke to the next almost relentlessly. British humour and references to Telly personalities don’t make it completely friendly for foreigners, but most jokes are still very enjoyable.
Props appear to be purely functional for the character changes, which gives the sensation of a playful carousel. The characters are tailored on each actor, and they are complementary to each other in their appearance and interaction. Exaggerated and grotesque as they can be, they ensure there is no getting bored.
FaceOddity Productions, founded by Michael Zwiauer and Fergus Head, brings its second show to the Fringe this year. Both shows have been appreciated; nonetheless, there is something unripe about This isn’t Working. I was considering giving the fourth star, but I saw the show with an extremely annoying audience which made it arduous to find my own stand and judge.
An accident in the very end of the show allowed the actors’ improvisation skills to briefly emerge, giving way to a very captivating finale.
Tickets and Info: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/this-isn-t-working
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FaceOddityProductions
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FaceoddityP
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/face.oddity/
Butterwort 
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