The Durham Revue: ‘Sketch Marks the Spot’ review
‘Durham Student Theatre, truly, would not be the same without the staple that is The Durham Revue’
Yesterday, The Durham Revue troupe of 2024-25 returned to the Assembly Rooms stage for one last hurrah: Sketch Marks the Spot. With the show being performed at Edinburgh Fringe Festival over the course of August, The Durham Revue have certainly gained their flowers with this one, rewarded with stunning reviews as well as the 2025 Derek Award, and they continue to cement their legacy as one of the leading forces in student sketch comedy across the UK. Made up of Alannah O’Hare, Lex Irish, Jude Battersby, Sam Bentley, Alice Barr, Nat Pryke, and Phoenix Ashworth - who was absent but seamlessly replaced - all members make sure to leave their unique mark and raucously entertain like it’s first nature. When their suspiciously canoe-shaped plane crashes on a desert island, how else are they to escape but through the medium of sketch comedy?
The first to be tackled is the familiar “are we there yet?” scenario. Turns out the troupe isn’t in an (admittedly rickety) car, quibbling about the price of the holiday tickets and the infrequency of toilet breaks, but actually in the Trojan Horse on their way to pay Helen a little visit. Shorter sketches such as this keep this satisfying pace up, some notable ones including The Chase being taken a little too literally, some physically slick and in-sync commentary on a table tennis match, and confusion over nuns in a job centre - I’d also be remiss to mention the all-too-convincing real housewives intro sequence, Barr exhibiting her impressive expression and seamless articulation and delivery here. She continues to excel alongside Battersby in the kidnapping of her next character’s husband, where the negotiators have more in common than you’d think, struggling to find a time to hand over a ransom amidst the thrillingly described life drawing classes and bingo.
The Revue’s use of props is incredibly measured, always being used to enhance the sketch rather than relying on them. In a Mr Men talent show audition, Irish’s Mr Tickle’s iconic arms are brought to staggering fruition before our very eyes, initially with incredible subtlety, and Barr’s, ahem, aptly named Mr Bump provides another example of the quick-witted wordplay which The Revue just executes so well. Irish succeeds too in his earlier feature as Gollum, maintaining a comically unsettling counterpart to O’Hare’s punchy Fiona Bruce, a match seemingly made in heaven.
Sam Bentley shines in his more awkward and stubborn characters; the silent transport of his cup of chia seeds provides a well-deserved payoff when the punchline is revealed a number of sketches later, and the subsequent ‘mental elf crisis’ is incredibly well done, the explanation for his confusion being almost a little bit plausible. The latter sketch’s strength, however, is cemented by the reveal of what’s written on his makeshift protest sign - the simple and emotionally charged “kill him” with a picture of a dead elf being shown as Bentley dejectedly wanders off stage in shame provides one of the punchiest conclusions of the night.
One absolute stand-out has to be Alannah O’Hare’s Aussie entrepreneur, Ocean Breeze, a persona which she manages to keep up throughout the lengthier sketch. With a healthy dose of (terrifyingly interactive) audience participation, O’Hare’s posh and neurotic “therapist” gives us the TED talk of our lives, discussing telepathy, spirit animals, and a questionably judged balancing act involving a book and a watermelon. Her commitment to her character is frankly staggering; the way she is able to keep it at full pelt throughout her improvisation is admirable and one of the true highlights of the night.
Similarly, her “rah girlie” characters dazzle throughout, from TikTok’s “tell us where your outfit’s from” on the beaches of Normandy to a girls’ night trio alongside Barr and Pryke, discussing the one man at the centre of their love lives. All three in the latter replicate their character stereotypes with such accuracy (I suppose in Durham there’s not exactly a lack of inspiration) and skilful subversion ensues: though Barr and Pryke’s new love interest turns out to be, like, so obviously Stalin, O’Hare reveals her beau is actually a Royal Mail postman - he just loves red so much, guys!
The tech, too, should not be understated as The Revue use elements of lighting and sound to complement their show perfectly. Battersby’s war with the sound operator over finding something better than the Jaws theme tune as he, the shark, attempts to sneak up on an unsuspecting family results in hilarious frustration and clever wordplay, and the various sound effects and resonant transition music overall exhibits a show that has been carefully curated and considered in all facets.
Perhaps my favourite sketch of the night is the home invasion of Barry Scott, the Cillit Bang man, who it turns out has been kept in the cupboard under the sink for years. When he finds out the home’s residents have been impartial to the odd use of Mr Muscle Man, he’s not very happy... not very happy at all. With a confession of unrequited love, an explosive murder, and as many double entendres for the word ‘bang’ you could possibly dream of, Battersby uses pace and contrast masterfully to conduct a fresh and somewhat freakish take on the advertising mogul.
In all, the 2024-25 troupe showcase their practised finesse with Sketch Marks the Spot; with their perfectly frenetic dancing between sketches, they have beautifully showcased some of their best work to engage hopefuls for the troupe of 2025-26. Durham Student Theatre, truly, would not be the same without the staple that is The Durham Revue.
By Emi Sharples.