Hitch and Mitch: The Stinky Show

The props are puerile, the jokes terrible, the sketches simplistic and stretched, and in all it feels very amateurish.  So it shouldn’t work.  But strangely it does.

The whole set-up is ridiculous, bordering on the surreal. Childish pictures and fantastical images on the backdrop screen are used to describe their perceived global popularity. A short film displays a ridiculous take on the life of Paul Ross. A fragile story of a children’s TV presenter and sidekick teddy bear being sacked weaves throughout.

You can imagine them as they thought these things up, probably in a pub, giggling away, and they often break out into small fits of laughter here as well. It is awful, don’t misunderstand this, but there’s not a face in here without a grin. Their mannerisms and delivery are very reminiscent of Fist of Fun-era Lee and Herring, and it does strike the chord with the folk in the room.

Maybe it’s their infectious enthusiasm, or the obvious rapport they have which makes this work.  Whatever it is, against all odds (and they do try to stack these up), it’s terrific. Terrible, but terrific. It’s not cerebral, political or conceptual, it’s just very, very good fun.