A sketch about time machines

JEFF: Let's visit the Romans.



KATH: No



STEVE: Henry VIII's court.



KATH: No, how about 2425?



JEFF: That's so boring Kath, what's wrong with

the Tudors, or even Victorian London?



STEVE: Ooh, Victorian London. Good one Jeff.



JEFF: Thanks Steve.



KATH: No, we can't go.



STEVE: why not?

KATH: You can't guess?



STEVE: Nope.



KATH: Maybe because I'm a woman, and black,

and gay.



STEVE: Oh yeah, I'm sure it'll be fine though.



KATH: Really? You don't think I'll be

persecuted at all?



JEFF: Well as long as you don't get off with

any women it should be fine.



KATH: Jesus Jeff! What about me being black

any helpful suggestions there?



JEFF: Well we could visit an African country.



STEVE: No, I burn too easily.



JEFF: Actually yeah, I'd have to change as

well. But hang on I've just had an idea,

it's a bit out there but what if we just

grab some talcum powder or white
paint...



KATH: If you're about to suggest I white up, I

will slap you.



STEVE: A Burka!



KATH: What?



STEVE: You could wear a burka.



KATH: Yeah because Muslims have always been

readily accepted, and besides I don't

want to have to deal with any sexism.



JEFF: Well I know a great surgeon who should

be able to squeeze you in tomorrow if

Steve doesn't mind waiting.



Kath slaps Jeff

It's a well-observed wrinkle that is too rarely explored in gtime travel shows, but I feel the sketch is a bit undercooked.

Sorry but this is just far too wordy and not very funny.

Sound idea, as Gappy stated, but you're doing an awful lot of waffling on. You could do something much sharper with two characters and perhaps be a bit more imaginative with examples of why the past won't accept them.

Agree with the above - it's too wordy at present & that sucks the life out of it. But it IS a great idea, so keep worrying away at it.

It's been done by Dr Who at least once.

And the language is rather static.

I agree that it is not the funniest, which is partly what inspired me to put it on here. I liked the idea but didn't like my execution, unfortunately I couldn't quite work out why.
I'm interested that a lot of you think it's too wordy. How would you advice getting around this problem for a sketch that is essentially a conversation? Or would you not make it a conversation at all?

Thanks again

You could cut out the dead wood, let the audience make the connections. For instance, this bit:

STEVE: Ooh, Victorian London. Good one Jeff.

JEFF: Thanks Steve.

KATH: No, we can't go.

STEVE: why not?

KATH: You can't guess?

STEVE: Nope.

KATH: Maybe because I'm a woman, and black,

and gay.

Could be reduced to:

STEVE: Ooh, Victorian London. Good one Jeff.

KATH: Er, I'm a woman, and black, and gay.

Bang on Rupe couldn't give a better example of reducing dialogue.

If you have too explain it generally isn't funny, humour very much lies within intuitive leaps.

I appreciated the idea but it lacks of humour. If I'm going to imagine the scenario of those three characters. They were not taken into any period of time. They were merely sitting in the time machine from the beginning of their dialogue to the end.