The Sexy Detectives: High Status Idiots

Reviewed by Alice D

I did not laugh once. Which is all I should need to say about The Sexy Detectives: High Status Idiots; but, as some of you good people may desire further explanation I will continue.

There was no introduction to this series of sketches.  The three Sexy Detectives just landed on stage with a sketch about a lingerie outlet name ‘Sex Kitten’ where a confused customer actually wanted to purchase a cat to have sex with. Silence. Even the proverbial crickets saw this first sketch and decided ‘screw this, we are out of here’.

The show lasted an hour (which coincidentally is an hour too long) and the sketches did not get any better. A buzzer signified the end of each sketch and I thank the comedy gods for that buzzer.  Throughout the entire show the audience were so unaware that a punch-line was delivered that we had to be prompted by the buzzer to applaud (some considerate people fake-chuckled). The best thing I can possibly say about the sketches is that they were original, unfunny, but original.

The show was named High Status Idiots and unless you had read the media release before attending, it would have been very unclear that all the skits were meant to focus on “fools who are really, really sure of themselves”.  Considering their chosen theme The Sexy Detectives could have introduced a unique and topical side to their comedy; but alas, this was too much to hope for. Much like hoping for a prop that was not a music stand or cardboard box.

‘What else was terrible about the show Alice?’ Well, I will tell you imaginary reader who says exactly what I need you to say. The poor writing was not helped by the acting. For some unknown, incredibly strange reason one of the troop decided to shout all his lines, in almost every skit. I understand that projection is key when not using a microphone but not in a small room of twenty people. At one point, when playing a journalist, he sat behind me and I had to check whether blood was streaming down my face from a ruptured eardrum.

If I have not been clear already, please save your precious money and go to see another sketch comedy at the Adelaide Fringe rather than The Sexy Detectives: High Status Idiots.

The Sexy Detectives: High Status Idiots, Al Amir, 26 Feb to 1 March