2011 Edinburgh Fringe
Kieran & The Joes review
There is a disturbing moment when you first lay eyes on Kieran And The Joes, one where you believe that you are actually going to bear witness to a motivational seminar. With their corporate get-up (only belied by trainers), they genuinely seem quite enthusiastic about the concept of teamwork.
That is until the first joke, when you realise that this is going to be a well-rehearsed show with a wonderful rapport, not just between the cast themselves but also amongst them and the crowd. It's a show where we are asked to introduce ourselves to the people sitting around us.
Covering every possible teamwork angle, from an awkward proposal to singing happy birthday to a co-worker, Kieran And The Joes cover the pastiche of a motivational seminar perfectly and anyone who's ever had to sit through one will never see it in quite the same way again. That is before one of the show's highlights (which we won't ruin) when the show takes a delightfully wicked turn into darkness.
Treating the audience like a 'team' that needs to be engaged, and introducing a loose narrative structure and relationship development between the stars is an inspired touch and keeps the show feeling cohesive when it could easily have drifted off. The construction of the audience participation elements towards the crescendo of the show is another exceptional decision as by the end of the show, everyone feels involved.
To those reading this who might be worried about feeling awkward in a show which relies so heavily on audience participation; have no fear. There isn't a single moment where the audience are targets - they're always part of the show and part of the fun.
Kieran & The Joes have brought a really joyful experience to the Fringe and their delivery, fluidity and excellent use of their format serve only to enhance an already strong show.
Kieran and The Joes: Teampowered listing
