Broken English

With Nat Luurtsema

More Dan Antopolski videos

Dan Antopolski's surreal won him the BBC New Comedy Award in 1998 as well as Perrier Award nomination in 2001. Dan has performed at the usual comedy clubs as well as international comedy festivals, with appearances at Montreal, Melbourne and New York.

And as an actor, Dan has starred in the BBC Two sci-fi spoof Hyperdrive as technical officer Jeffers and appeared in the Da Vinci Code movie as Jesus

Jigsaw: Fringe 2012
Live Review
Pleasance Courtyard

This sketch threesome (Dan Antopolski, Tom Craine, Nat Luurtsema) fit sketches around themselves, and not vice-versa, while their easy charm goes a long, long way to lift individually enjoyable sketches into a satisfying whole.

This ease is underlined by the way the three morph into scenes: often using the space they ended up in the last sketch as their starting point for their next one. Having a screen decorated with an logo that gives them a kind of New Avengers identity, rather than using the wings for changes, also gives them a sophisticated zip.

Without getting fixated on surreal concepts, analogous skits, interpersonal shenanigans or an overarching narrative, the trio are free to fly through a landscape of characters with unexpected behavioural quirks. There's the man who dupes people into getting a semen sample from him, the therapist who slyly uses funk music to help his patients (carried off with a convincing amount of loopyness and not overdone), and a sex addict friend who can't resist making juvenile ginger motions to simulate sex…

What's refreshing is that, for the most part, the characters are all low-status, no newsreaders, no motivational speakers, no policemen or detectives; Jigsaw’s collectively warm and casual style wouldn’t suit pompousness or self-importance.

There’s limited off-the-ball spontaneity, but when it does come –for example in response to three of the front row leaving for the loo – it is all the more impactful for its authenticity.

It’s rare to see performers have so much fun without enforced corpsing, and the simplicity of the ideas must make them fun to perform rather than dreading some very clever-clever set piece that has to be delivered off pat every night.

Perhaps the most complicated set piece is where Craine and Luurtsema have to explain why Antopolski’s pet mouse has died. The chain of events proves great fun and it must make it a joy to deliver each night, without it ever sounding convoluted.

Easy, breezy and sometimes quite cheesy, Jigsaw are a refreshing Fringe stop among shouty sketch and theme-strangled stand up.

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Saw him fall flat on his face at the music hall, Got about two laughs from the whole audience. Felt more like a lecture than comedy. Intelligent man but not a comic

Shane, April 2006

Only seen him live once, as a support act at the Swan Theatre, Worcester - glad I was near the door and could go back to the bar until the real act came on. Every time I see his face on TV I instantly change channel - anything is preferable. A major case of Emperor's clothes

Dave Collins, March 2006

I've never seen Dan do badly. Have mostly seen him at more intimate gigs but he was brilliant every time.

Paddy Free Beer Show, February 2006

I've seen Dan's work on tv a few times and I always found him a bit awkward onstage. I could never decide if I liked him or not. I made up my mind last night though when I saw him in Preston. It was a fantastic show that was well paced and most importantly - hilarious. I'll never forget the Mouse of Commons material. Very impressive

Chris Parker, November 2005

The Mouse of Commons routine is one of the funniest things I've seen on stage. The fact that Dan is flying around on a magic carpet in his own head, sometimes confusing and alienating audience members unable to keep up, is a big part of his charm.

Richard Tyrone Jones, November 2005

He's excellent.

Laura, October 2005

Saw Dan in Bedford Harpur suite and he reigned supreme. Came on as the first act, and the best by far. Very unique witty and intelligent humour, and best thing Ive seen in a long time.

Sohail Butt, June 2005

Saw Dan at Brixton;what's the hype? He's likeable but hasn't got that hook and the improvisation is weak.The material was repeated from an earler set I saw. Half-hearted wholeheartedly.

Danny Daniels, June 2005

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