Channel surfing isn’t a lazy day activity for The Three Stools; in fact, they treat it as a sport.
Eve Crutchley, Evie Farmer, and Poppy Taplin of The Three Stools have mastered the art of sketch comedy: bringing an uproariously funny show to the Edinburgh Fringe. They take you on a tour through classic British TV channels that are a little different to how you may remember. They satirise morning cooking shows, soap operas, dating shows, and so much more.
It was incredible how each of them were able to transform into a multitude of different characters, with impressive accents and vocal work to match. I was blown away by the absolute speed with which they moved from section to section. Furthermore, there was non-stop action, from dance numbers to chase scenes. The actors were clearly close friends. When performing, they performed comfortably across from one another — they didn’t have any awkward or stiff interactions.
Everyone in the audience loved it — with many complaining of sore cheeks from smiling and laughing afterwards. The environment was made fun as the audience participation was minimal yet extremely effective. I was not scared at any point of being asked to participate due to the group’s perfect manipulation of audience reactions; they did not rely on a funny audience to create funny moments. While you may not understand a lot of the references if you are not a British TV enjoyer, every British person will get a kick out of one of the parodied shows or another.
One highlight of the show was their incredible use of props. Whether a wig was falling off or handcuffs unintentionally left on, The Three Stools were able to use it to their advantage. The show was hilarious because of their ability to turn a mishap into a piece of performance. Another highlight was the chaotic yet expert tech elements, which provided perfectly timed lighting cues and a voice-over that was also very funny.
I cannot recommend this show enough. It brought clowning, sketch, and satire at its funniest. I will be keeping a close eye on The Three Stools to see what they have in store next.
Turn This Sh*t Off is running until 30 August (excluding 18) at Just The Bottle Room at Just The Tonic at The Mash House. Buy tickets here.
Photo by Amelia Keys and graphic design by Maddie Thomas, provided for press use.
