Derrière on a G String ★★★★

Initially performed at the iconic Sadler’s Wells Theatre in 2019, Derrière on a G String returns bigger and bolder than ever, with Sammy Moore returning to his MC role, now at the King’s Head Theatre. It’s a sketch show that earns its laughs by exaggerating annoying, everyday problems, while finding gay undertones in places you’d never think to look. Punctuated by well-known classical music, performed by a talented group of six contemporary dancers, these skits will leave you in bits.

Tradies-turned-ballerinas! Plastic bags for intestines! The bricklayers’ meet-cute? This hodgepodge of homoeroticism is a queered pastiche of classic visual comedy. Think of Mr Bean’s elastic physicality, and mix it with the intentional clumsiness of Morecambe and Wise – then you’re halfway to understanding this troupe’s hilarity. The group is exceptionally skilled in its delivery of fast-paced dance, clownery and acrobatics. But aside from all the obvious talent, there’s most notably a saucy homoerotic spin around every corner. This particular running gag is what drives the show and secures laughs from its audience, and it’s down to Alfred Taylor-Gaunt’s clever direction that the joke never tires. The show is just over 70 minutes straight through. No break is needed or wanted! There are easily 20 sketches, all hitting you at breakneck speed, but there is not one moment where the performers tire.

Some Smith & Moore take relatable scenarios and turn them into bawdy burlesques bound to please the crowd. One of the first shows Ena Yamaguchi attempting to fit a duvet into its cover. Something mundane is made hilarious with great pacing, coordination with the music, and pure absurdity. Yamaguchi crawls inside the cover, dancing with it using big gestures, mopping the floor with her entire body, literally wrestling with this material. Something like this should not feel so funny, and Taylor-Gaunt’s comedic knowledge is responsible for such a welcome destruction of taste.

From choreographed vape clouds to Russian-dancing hyper masculine footballers, Derrière on a G String uses a clever mixture of old school comedy styles with current relatable issues. None of the performers speaks in English; when they do speak, they speak nonsense reminiscent of commedia dell’arte – it’s clear these creators know all the tricks. Even the newspapers they read during a toilet-tap routine don’t have real words on them. Even the airport voiceover during Cam Tweed’s frantic search for his passport is gobbledegook. For such a surreal dive into comedy, every part of this show makes scenic sense, and you will either buy into it straight away or be won over by the end.

Now, do not be mistaken. This show is not for the prudish theatre-goers. Expect plenty of nudity and plenty of cheek (and some audience participation). Expect leather and latex and nightmarish dreams, all with a campy spin. For some, this raunchy comedy could stray a little too close to uncomfortability. There are erotic moments that get quite graphic and don’t really provide much humour, except one of those ‘I’m shocked so I’m going to laugh’ laughs. Arguably, though, this is all a part of Some Smith & Moore’s theatrical aesthetic. It’s an entertaining blend of silly slapstick, homoerotic tension and unbridled sexuality. Despite some moments of discomfort, it all works together as an engaging series of sketches that will leave you feeling lighter – if this is your kind of thing.

Good quality low comedy seems harder to find in the mainstream now. Completely driven by clownery and classical music, Derrière on a G String is a surprisingly genius mixture of old and new; it feels refreshing and exciting and is successful because Some Smith & Moore have found their niche. Perhaps a show like this signals a want for change in comedy, back to something more raw and outrageous. Perhaps some will walk away relieved! Overall, it’s recommended to those who enjoy absurd humour, as well as to those who enjoy dance in its most relatable and accessible form. This group of creatives walk the line between discomfort and comedy with nothing but pride, and they bring you along with them. For that, they deserve the applause.