By Lucas Heap
Masters of sketch comedy – Charly Clive and Ellen Robertson are at the Edinburgh Fringe with Britney: Friends and Nothing More, their brand new show for 2022.
Named after what Charly told Ellen after she came out to her – “Friends and Nothing More” is a wonderfully surreal and enjoyable experience. The actors have glorious on-stage chemistry, impeccable comedic timing and whether they’re recreating their first performance together in a school assembly or singing one of the many songs they’ve concocted over the many years they’ve known each other, Britney is all about friendship.
There are dozens of hilarious sketches throughout the performance, particularly the ‘Stephen King and his wife’ sketch and a deliberately cringe-inducing spoof on a dating app advertisement. The pace of the show is also very fast, meaning you’re invested throughout; before I could finish laughing at one joke, another punchline had come out of nowhere. It was as though every second of the hour-long show was meticulously planned to ensure you barely had breath between chortles.
The show transports you back to the magical vibe of your youth – messing about with your mates at a sleepover just with more politics, jokes and clever callbacks added to the mix. Both Robertson and especially Clive nail subtleties as well as over-the-top moments and are undoubtedly destined for more greatness to come.
Britney: Friends and Nothing More is a must-see at the Fringe. It’s the show I personally enjoyed the most and one I can’t recommend enough.
Britney: Friends and Nothing More is on everyday until 28th August at 17:45 at Pleasance Below in the Pleasance Courtyard. Buy your tickets here