The Couch Soup gimmick turns 10 this year, offering yet more of the same: an hour’s worth of one page ‘plays’ (‘snippets’ or ‘sketches’ would be more appropriate terms for most) performed by a team of 4 actors. This year there are 33 pieces penned by 18 writers.

With nothing fresh about the idea, although it remains quite a challenge for writers and actors, one has to ask where the value lies for the audience. Channel hopping at home would give us a more dynamic mix of random stuff. And while Couch Soup may stand as a microcosm of the ‘lucky dip’ that is Fringe itself, the ‘hit’ rate, in my perception, is lower.

There are some good moments, including: ‘Jenny & McNeil’ singing ‘I’m Gonna Kill You with Everything in the Kitchen’ (Ross McLeod), although it could be shorter; two women faking they know each other (Barry Lakeman); a guy’s clever strategy for getting first in the queue at the vet (Lakeman again); Jesus at an AA meeting (K Morris); a guy faking gay to get girls to trust him (Benny Marama) …

And it turns out Stephanie Christian, one of the actors, also wrote the motor-cum-potty-mouth woman (Hopeless Case) and the fashionista couch saleswomen (If Supra Sold Couches) which offer but two of the extraordinary range of comic characterisations she brings to the show. Perhaps best described as a Kiwi Dawn French, she is the highlight of the evening.

Ross McLeod, Bronwyn Williams and Benny Marama are also to be commended for their tireless work, and what it has taken for director David Foote to get the show on cannot be taken for granted either.

But there is too much dross this time round. Too many pieces are in the nature of dramatic doodles rather than haikus. The couple of scenarios that do return don’t develop their ideas well enough. There is nothing ingenious about how the transitions are achieved. Inevitably it all adds up to quite a lot less than the sum of its too-many parts.

While the couch is not always used as a couch – one piece makes an elephant of it – the setting may have passed its use by date. It’s either time to put the concept to rest or give it a total revamp. Wardrobe Soup? Inner Tyre Soup? Post your suggestion as a comment …
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