Review: EDINBURGH 2024: BRITANICK: DUMMY, Pleasance Courtyard

“Am I an audience plant?”

BriTANick: Dummy, a self-described “nonlinear, freeform sketch show” is performed by Brian McElhaney and Nick Kocher, the two members of BriTANick who are most well-known for their online sketch comedy as well as being writers for Saturday Night Live and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Having previously seen BriTANick during performances of Stamptown, I was familiar with their style of comedy but was looking forward to what they would do with a full hour of their own. 

In case you haven’t been introduced to the duo before, have no fear - they are more than willing to tell us about themselves, with Kocher being described as John Mulaney melted in the microwave and McElhaney as Harry Kane with an iron deficiency, two hilarious descriptions made even funnier by just how accurate they are. Kocher also goes into some explicit details about his obsession with puppet porn in a 90s-style song, much to the horror of McElhaney (and the morbid fascination of audience members).

All of the sketches performed by Kocher and McElhaney are hilarious, ranging from Kocher being fed lines in a sketch about a chandelier that somehow ends up turning into “Lights Up” by Harry Styles to one in which a marionette goes on as an understudy for a sketch called “The Coolest Kid in School.” Again, these sketches are absurd, but they are brilliantly written, even if some do go on for a bit too long. 

There is a bit of audience participation, though some of it is planned, as illustrated in one moment when the duo ask for audience questions and select someone in the front row who asks, “Am I an audience plant?” It’s delightfully absurd and fresh to see BriTANick not only acknowledging and joking about plants in audience participation bits but also making it their own. 

Without going into too many spoilers for the show as a whole, there are several recurring bits that all come together in a fantastic way in the end. It takes the skills of McElhaney and Kocher to another level, which is impressive given that they were already more than proving themselves as excellent comedians. We are introduced to Riley, the director of the show, who is voiced by a young girl, making for some silly moments in which she instructs Kocher and McElhaney to do some childish things. The duo have also sold ad space in the show, leading to some of the sketches being related to their sponsor, Alkaline Labs. 

Ultimately, BriTANick: Dummy is a fantastic example of a sketch show with an overarching theme, pulling the audience into a strange new world. McElhaney and Kocher do a brilliant job of bringing audiences in while still remaining silly and delightful. Dummy is one of those shows I wish could have gone on forever but, just like the Fringe itself, all good things must come to an end. 

BriTANick: Dummy ran until 25 August at Pleasance Courtyard - Above.

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