Outlandish, adorable, hysterical and frequently surprising, the sketch group that has almost as much fun outside the fourth wall as within it has an absolutely cracking show.
Skipping onto stage dressed like something from The Wicker Man with a spot of modern dance, Tarot drop us squarely within their gleefully askew world from the off. It’s a set-up that grabs curiosity by the scruff, machine-guns laughs, and lands in a leftfield punchline. Repeat, build, repeat, throughout – with a mind-bending variety of tones and outcomes. There’s some kind of alchemy with this ensemble that allows for coquettish flirting one moment and a screaming emergency the next, playing with nuance and tension like a yo-yo and keeping the energy bouncing.
There’s also the aforementioned playing with the fourth wall. Not only is there plenty of material that fully steps into the reality space they are in surrounded by an audience, the most obvious of these being engagements with appointed laughter talliers from the audience and Adam’s costume change, but every one of these engagements reaps genuine big laughs. Ed, Cath and Adam have skilfully sharpened funny bones giving them license to add to the show on an educated whim – meaning that you really do get that special sparkly ‘live comedy’ knowledge that no other night will be like this. I’ve yet to see another performer shut down an overly involved audience member by making them their new best friend with such firm sincerity.
Tarot play with our boundaries, they play with their boundaries, skipping gleefully through the taboo and taking a sharp turn into the high-end silly. There’s a laughter rhythm that builds and builds, feeding off itself and never quite dying away at any point. A lack of vanity and a commitment to the bit pays off, the laughter being front and centre in their sights.
“Sketch will never die!” Tarot shout out, book-ending the show. They even give you a badge to wear proudly declaring the sentiment, spreading the word. Praise the word.
Tarot – Cautionary Tales
Pleasance Courtyard, Beside, 3-28 August 2022
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on#q=%22Tarot%3A%20Cautionary%20Tales%22
