The comedy duo, Georgia Bruce and Jack Chisnall, gave me a very exciting sneak preview of their show Cut the Mustard, which will be staged this term. I was met at Trinity College porters’ lodge by the tall and fairly silent Jack, who immediately struck me as a dry, and slightly awkward David Mitchell sort-of figure.
Before I knew it I was watching him and Georgia perform an original song titled ‘Hey Kids, Don’t Do It’ – warning ‘little children’ about the dangers of drugs, strangers, crossing the road, and pretty much everything else. Jack managed to push his glasses up his face in the gaps between playing his guitar, which I think is nothing short of a great talent.
Both members met at the Oxford Revue in their first year, and decided to get together as a double act. “We both play exaggerated versions of ourselves,” says Georgia. Jack de- scribes these cameo-characters as compli- menting each other in their differences. “I’m sort of ego-y,” he says, pushing his glasses up his face again, “and she’s cute and lovely.” I have to agree that these adjectives sum up Georgia pretty well, with the addition of sparky and confident. The two compliment each other marvelously and the chemistry between the two is great.
The show will be a show of a show, for want of a better description: the audience will be observing the two characters practise for a TV recording, and watching as the proceed- ings fail somewhat. There will be audience participation to the full, and music alongthe way.
Hopefully there won’t be any expectationon their part for us to do any of the singing, but having sat through this preview I would not put it past them. Apparently however it is going to be really “chill”.
For all desperate finalists and nerve stricken prelim virgins this could be a healthy contrast from Trinity Term exam stress. I am also told there will be a “hilarious surprise” when it finally comes to the supposed recording. Be warned.
Cut the Mustard is going to be captivating. The pair will also be performing at the Edinburgh Fringe this summer, so this will serve partly as a test of their material. “But we’re taking it seriously,” Georgia assures me, wide eyed. “Yeah”, says Jack. “We’re not just doing any old shit.”
