Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
hip minimalist comedy in the grand manner, 29 Dec 2001
From these two crowned UK comedy ladies, we've come to take too much for granted. This two-hour-long live show is filled with obvious or oblique quotes, both visual and verbal, from the original TV shows; a tribute to their own, unique comedy genius. If you are new to the old TV series, try and catch up ASAP (you don't know what you've been missing). Now, in this live show, the intimate scale which marked their famous, scarcely furnished sitting-room sketches, is lost in a huge stage, but the production standards are very high indeed, with extremely impressive sets and clever visuals. A designer's comedy this is, verging on the coolest chic. Stage direction seems a bit slack by comparison, yet the excellence of the sets and visual effects holds everything together. With such talented comedians, you might be wondering "Why bother?." Well, ask Jennifer Saunders for one, not exactly at her very best here. So, I think you guessed already, this is very much a Dawn French's virtuoso solo with Jennifer Saunders' capable accompaniment -- and Dawn's got it all, although without the razor sharp precision of the studio sketches. It seems Mrs. Saunders has decidedly subdued herself by design, less intense and convincing than usual. But if you love these two comedians as much as I do, you'll certainly enjoy it regardless. Incidentally, the highly stylized, ultra hip video inserts are directed by Jennifer Saunders' husband, multitalented oddball extraordinaire Adrian Edmondson. These contain some of the best laughs: wait for Dawn French's Alphabet sketch -- a minimalist gem with maximum comic impact. And if you still noticed that I withdrew one star from my rating, let's face it: 4-star studded F&S is a delicious four-bonbon box all the same, worth a galaxy of lesser comedians...
|
|
|
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
HYSTERICAL - the only description, 22 Nov 2003
After being unable to go and see this when it came round, i got the video, and it truly is hysterical! its just soo good i highly recomend it to anyone!!!!!! One of my favourite dvd's ever.
|
|
|
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Classic, 12 Jan 2004
With the usual use of silence to absolute comic perfection and some good old audience interaction, this is classic French and Saunders. Except this time they've decided 'comedy is art' and, while Jennifer tries to stick to this, Dawn sets about ruining everything, ending with Jennifer's quite understandable anger ('What are you, some kind of pathological upstager? Hmm?').It's a little bit hit and miss - I never like their sketches of old women for some reason - but the video inserts make up for this. I'm with the other reviewers here - any F&S is good.
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|