Show 4: Foil, Arms and Hog: Craicling

Another year and it’s another solid hour from the well-established Irish trio of Foil, Arms and Hog.

This year they’re in the majestic setting of McEwan Hall and the exploit this from the off with an impromptu walking tour of the venue, gently encouraging audience members to join the tour as Arms (Conor McKenna) takes them through the stalls, on to the stage and back off again, slowly acquiring more members and even an umbrella before dismissing the tour and starting the show proper.

What follows is an hour of slick, tightly written sketches, this year with a few more musical numbers (including a Gregorian chant of unwitting lads becoming drunk monks) and one short sketch with the occasional callback.

The highlight was the ‘green card quiz’ sketch, with Hog characteristically hogging the limelight and going off script as the dim-witted Irish immigrant seeking a greencard to America playing against Arms clearly-cheating stern Russian immigrant – at one point Hog goes underneath the backstage curtain and starts giving his lines hidden from the audience, to the clear dismay of Foil and Arms.

Some of the sketches do feel slightly longer than needed, but overall it’s an excellent performance from these three seasoned professional clowns.

Score: 8/10

Venue: Underbelly at McEwan Hall

Dates: 5^th-26^th August

Time: 21:00

Price:  £16 (£15 concessions) weekends, £13.50 (£12.50) weekdays