The Oxford Revue played host tonight in what was a showcase of talent from four of the country’s most exciting student comedy groups. The main structure was simple. Three university comedic clans were lined up to deliver various sketches and routines. The Cambridge Footlights preceded the Durham Revue, with the Oxford ensemble concluding the evening.

Lending the festivities a spine, and providing compère duties for the duration, were the Oxford Imps and it was this latter collection of young wits that stole the show. They deliver a jaw-dropping line in improvised shenanigans, from story-telling to song-singing, all from the completely random beginning of an audience member’s subject suggestion. From gummy bears to chat-up lines based on the game of darts, this group delivered fantastically funny intervals between what were supposedly the main attractions and had the audience gasping at the ingenuity displayed at such break-neck speed.

From the off it was clear that the other three groups had a lot to live up to. They did so in varying degrees and the success rate increased as the night progressed. The Footlights had a rapid-fire feel. The sketches were numerous and quick, some lasting no more than a handful of words. There was an undeniable intelligence on show and the occasional scene drew uproarious reactions from the near sell-out crowd. A tendency to rely a little too heavily on the same style of joke, however, gave their set a heavy feel that belied the swift nature of the situation changes.

Durham followed with a more accessible collection which felt a touch lighter and was the better for it. Again, sketches were numerous and you sensed there was a more tangible chemistry between the young actors. What especially impressed in this second act was the physical comedy on display, possessing as they did two fine exponents of a distinctive, effective art.

The Oxford Revue themselves took to the stage after the interval, having been introduced brilliantly by the Imps. Playing to their home crowd, they delivered sketches that benefited from a similar structure to the night as a whole; one story line was developed every two or three sketches, mirroring the reappearance of the Improvisers after each main act of the night. This gave the Revue’s set a cohesion which provided a suitable platform on which to show off their talents and increased the sense of harmony between the actors. Their ideas were original; their comedic characters wonderfully drawn and, as the curtain fell, the impression was of an evening spent in the company of some fantastically gifted young entertainers, as well as an urgent desire to track down those Oxford Imps again as soon as possible.     

The Oxford Revue and Friends was an enjoyable evening of comedy including some particularly brilliant sketches. It commenced with the Cambridge Footlights followed by the Durham Revue in the First Act and our own Oxford Revue in the Second Act.

The Cambridge Footlights began with stand-up comedy which was very entertaining; honestly we could have benefited from more of this type of humour as it was genuinely one of their funniest pieces. This was followed by sketch shows; I particularly enjoyed the part involving the overly theatrical father and “missing” daughter. The humour in this part of the production was more subtle than in the other two Revues although was still enjoyable.

The Durham Revue was, in my opinion, the best of the evening. I loved almost all of the sketches, especially the opening sketch and the scene about the Bronte sisters. They were very polished comedians and the timing in each scene was exact.

After the interval, the audience were clearly eager to welcome the Oxford Revue to the stage. Their pieces included a particularly hilarious sketch involving old ladies knitting and a sex education lesson. The Oxford Revue were comfortable on stage and their humour was perhaps more surreal than the others: a tomato questioning his identity- vegetable or fruit?...

I enjoyed all the performances throughout the night. While my sense of humour probably differs to yours, it was clear the comedians in Cambridge, Durham and Oxford were all skilled in their art, and the sketches would appeal to a variety of people.