BRASS BLUNDERS

By Tom Ffiske | Immersive Wire ⭐⭐⭐ | Press Invite

Comedy and music have one thing in common: it’s all about the timing. We expect good songs to hit the beats each time, while we would walk away from a comedy act if it doesn’t hit the mark. But combining the two unveils an unexpectedly pleasant marriage – so long as it works in harmony.

Schërzo succeeds, with only a few slips along the way.  Comedy troupe Släpstick has been doing musical jaunts for some time, most recently in Edinburgh Fringe. After winning a few awards, the troupe are now running Schërzo for a short period in Wilton’s Music Hall. Expect musical pieces from Brahms, Schubert, Saint-Saëns, Gershwin and many others… with a little bit of Charlie Chaplin thrown in as well. 

I was impressed by the diversity of acts. One had the comedians try to lull a baby to sleep with an avalanche of musical instruments. Another had the troupe playing each other’s instruments as a mass of limbs. And another had a muppet Beethoven attempt to sing along to a song. All of these absurd items work well together for an audience who embraces the alternative world that invites the audience. 

At times it did not work for me; perhaps I did not drink enough red wine, or I did not embrace the setting as much as others. Or perhaps the intermittent mistakes happened on-stage – which is understandable as they all play instruments for an hour and a half straight with no interval, while acting across the stage (and beyond it). 

Schërzo presents a light and fun evening for people who like Beethoven with alternative beats. While most moments hit the mark, the sheer skills and abilities they showed were amazing to watch. At one point, the team played 21 masterpieces in one minute. With such a high note so early on, I wondered why they didn’t save it for the end. In any case, it’s well worth a watch. 

Släpstick: Schërzo is playing 7 – 12 October in Wilton’s Music Hall. 

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Photo Credit: Jaap Reedijk