The first of a double bill of 90s British comedy stage reunions, I head to the Bristol Beacon having not looked up anything about what I’m expecting from An Evening With The Fast Show, beyond having a vague idea that it’s not strictly just a stage show.
In the event, it’s a combination of sketch performances and the cast reminiscing about the origins of the show, starting with just Charlie Higson, then adding in Paul Whitehouse, and continuing until everyone was there. I did learn a fair amount, to be fair, and some of it was stuff I’d forgotten (Higson: “and then we met a couple of Irish writers, called Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews”; Whitehouse: “or as we call them now, Arthur Mathews”) and delighted to re-learn. They all clearly like each other and are having fun doing this, which is happy to see.
The sketches as performed do vary from being done as written - always a pleasure to see them - to concessions to modernity - Louis Balfour of the Jazz Club walking out with a vape pen. It’s interesting to watch them try to end Fast Show sketches on stage, because that “smash cut to the next sketch” just doesn’t quite work in this format. There was a delightfully pointed moment where, semi-jokingly (I think), Charlie Higson called out the audience for being sheep, just laughing at easy references, which, hmm.
It’s weird, really. Because I usually hate that. I hate the people laughing at the recognition of thing, not the thing itself, the knowing and performative chuckle to demonstrate to those around them that they get the reference. Within minutes of the show starting, Paul Whitehouse emerges on stage for the first time, and all it takes is for him to be wearing a smoking jacket and to utter “me?” to get the crowd roaring. He’s not even got to the end of the catchphrase! But, yes, isn’t that the point of The Fast Show?
I say everyone was there, but that’s of course not strictly true. There was a genuinely touching tribute to Caroline Aherne in the second half, following a compilation of some of her greatest sketches, including Roy and Renee. Following that, John Thompson comes out on stage as Roy, places two chairs down, sits in one of them, waits to say nothing, and then leaves. Heartbreaking. Well done them.