If brevity is the soul of wit, then writing and performing sketches must be the divine spirit of comedy. Popular culture is overflowing with the empty husks of attempted hilarity, but if you’re in Oxford seeking the thrill of a carefully crafted joke, look no further than The Oxford Revue for a very merry time.
This year’s Hilary Revue, entitled Family Values, is surreal, unpredictable, absurd, and absolutely hilarious: simply everything good student theatre should be. It is impressive how a cast of only five members can instantly capture the audience’s attention and keep them howling with laughter until the very last minute.
A particular shout out is in order for Will Hislop’s impeccable accent and impersonation of pretty much every single Made in Chelsea toff. Some of the highlights of the evening included the case of Harry Potter performing obscene
gestures towards the audience, unaware of the fact that he has forgotten to put on his invisibility cloak, as well as the moving story of how Ant met Dec at the audition for Byker Grove, reminiscent of the ‘Elephant Love Medley’ from Moulin Rouge.
Other audience favourites included two friends’ journey to the middle of the earth, appropriately accentuated by Stealers Wheel’s ‘Stuck In The Middle With You’, and a young lady’s suitor in denial of being in possession of a ‘man handbag’ – the line, “I don’t read Men’s Health, Men’s Health reads me” be a conversational icebreaker at Park End from now on. The Revue have outdone themselves once more.
