Show Rating:

No sketch show has a 100 per cent hit rate, yet this lively historical oeurve has enough laughs to indicate there's some serious talent at work here.

Rather than a series of unconnected skits, the two-man team behind the show have rightly restricted themselves to a very limited cast of 17th century characters ­ Isaac Newton, the Pope, astronomer Edmond Halley, God.

This gives them the opportunity to develop well-rounded personalities, from the stupid, yet paradoxically infallible, Pope to the mercury-induced insanity of Newton.

There's a great running gag about the complexities of pre-decimal coinage (sounds a riot, I know, but trust me) and some moments of genuine inventiveness.

Admittedly not all sketches have this spark, and the plot could do with some work, but this is a promising follow-up to last year's Edinburgh debut.

If these Infinite Number of Monkeys stick at it, they may produce something great.