Campbell Wright
Ginge and Minge (Nina Hogg and Megan Connolly) are back at it again, this time indoctrinating me into a cult.
House of Ick (directed by Mo Munn) is the comedy duo’s latest sketch show, and in my opinion, their best. Ginge and Minge are experienced performers, and it shows throughout House of Ick. Whether the pair are performing a “C**twheel” or trying to sell you a waterbed, they know how to play the audience and each other.
House of Ick (directed by Mo Munn) is the comedy duo’s latest sketch show, and in my opinion, their best. Ginge and Minge are experienced performers, and it shows throughout House of Ick. Whether the pair are performing a “C**twheel” or trying to sell you a waterbed, they know how to play the audience and each other.
I found myself cackling at a particular scene involving the use of improv techniques in bedroom role play. It feels a little niche, and I was unsure whether those unfamiliar with improv would appreciate the scene, but after the show I’m informed by my partner (who watches improv but has never taken a class) that it was also her favourite sketch.
As with any sketch show, some sketches are better than others. There are a couple of bits that don’t land for me. In some cases, this is because the scene is purely based around crass humour, with little else to extend the joke for the length of time the sketch goes on for. Ginge and Minge actively acknowledge this in one sketch, but this feels like an avoidant tactic rather than addressing the criticism directly. While their “gross” humour may work for some, I think their best sketches have something deeper behind it, even when it does come across as gross or taboo on the surface.
A great example of a sketch based around a taboo subject that has more going on behind it is their ode to “Jennifer” (composed by Phoebe Caldeiro), a shared pelvic floor therapist. The song is funny, their performance well choreographed, and it provides the audience insight into a world not everyone has experienced, in a strangely welcoming way. Their intro song (composed by Ben Kelly) for the show is also excellent, and these songs are highlights in an already effective comedy show. The lighting design (Austin Harrison) also serves the show well, especially during these musical moments.
Between scenes the duo returns to an altar of props, wigs, and other miscellaneous objects placed beneath a giant “ICK” banner center stage. At other times however, the duo races offstage to retrieve objects. These transitions can be a little slow, and could use some additional lights, music, or something to keep up the momentum as the pair moves from one sketch to the next. I’m unsure why some of these transitions need to occur offstage, and think more of the props could be placed on or behind the altar to help speed the transitions up, or at the very least let the audience in on the desperate rush to get prepared in time for the next scene.
Both are well versed in what to do when things go wrong, and there are several moments that do. These are tackled with a laugh from the performers, and often a knowing grimace from Megan that cheekily lets the audience laugh alongside them. Despite knowing that things haven’t gone to plan, it's entertaining to watch the duo let us in on their struggle and laugh alongside them. I almost want things to go more wrong, for the performers to mess with one another a little more, as watching the performers break one another is a true highlight of Nina and Megan’s performance style.
Despite being called House of ICK, I expected the show to be much more Icky. There are a couple of messy and/or gross moments, but these are primarily reserved towards the end of the show, presumably to make cleanup easier and keep performers from slipping across the stage through their other bits. Though one early sketch leaves both performers covered in lipstick - a sign of the ick that is stuck with them the rest of the show. I appreciated this representation of the show becoming “messy” and thought it was funny to watch some of the “serious” scenes performed with the bizarre look on their faces. I wonder if there is further opportunity to build this messiness throughout the show, and watch their costumes and appearance gradually degrade as their sketches get messier and messier.
The show is (very loosely) framed around the process of indoctrinating people into a cult, with the opening sketches part of “Phase 1: Indoctrination”. As we laugh uproariously during the final moments of “Phase 3: Complicit”, I can’t help but agree that they have brought the audience into their performance and likely converted a few to followers of the House of Ick.
Although I would normally be against it, this is one cult I would recommend being indoctrinated into.
House of Ick is on at 8.30pm at BATS Theatre until the 8th of March.
Disclaimer: HEAVY conflicts of interest here. I am friends with everyone involved in this show. If you feel this has affected my ability to remain impartial in this review, Art Murmurs has a feedback form that I would encourage you to use.