BriTANicK – Soho Theatre, Soho

Reviewer: Christine Stanton

Writer: Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney

Director: Alex Edelman

“Chaotically Comical”

4.5 / 5

~This review was originally written for The Reviews Hub ~

BriTANicK, aka dynamic duo Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney, have a name they thought up when they were 19. It’s a combination of Brian, Nick and Titanic, and they’ve stuck with ever since. But thankfully, unlike the Titanic, Kocher and McElhaney stay very much afloat during this sheer ridiculous yet utterly hilarious hour of sketch comedy.

Straight out of America and embarking on a UK tour, these two are comedy gold – their well-rehearsed sketches and natural performance skills an absolute joy to watch. They bounce off each other impeccably, their friendship so genuine that their relaxed delivery easily brings the audience into their world of bizarrely brilliant humour. With writing credits on Saturday Night Live and It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia it’s not hard to imagine their comedic style – disorderly, dark and downright delightful.

But for a show filled with so much silliness, it’s still impressively clever, with multiple callbacks and quick-witted retorts throughout. Each sketch seamlessly transitions into the next, their fast-paced, high-energy performances constantly hitting every single mark. Considering the only real props are a few chairs and a table, they do a fantastic job of integrating imagined props into their set instead, which is handy considering one scene revolves heavily on a mischievous pet horse. The illusion of haphazardness is presented as part of their shtick, but Kocher and McElhaney are completely in control, with a side-splittingly funny final sketch that ties the show together and leaves the audience roaring with laughter.

Whether they are acting out a scene in a memory loss clinic, playing 10+ different characters in a Wild West saloon bar or having their worst nightmares come to life on stage – one thing remains the same, the chaotically comical duo will have you laughing until your cheeks hurt and you can’t take anymore.

Runs until 4 March 2023, then at Brighton Komedia on 5 March and Manchester Canvas on 6 March