The second show at BATS is Irene Pink and Justine Smith’s double act The Pitch.  What they are pitching are ideas to an invisible TV producer for their own TV show. 

After some improvised and under rehearsed banter their various ideas are shown on a screen. Some like Down and Out Abbey, The Medium and Copzzz are witty and original while others fall rather flat. 

Both Pink and Smith engage reasonably well with their audience but they lack any real dynamism to lift the show and make it as funny as it could be. 

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The show begins with Irene Pink and Justine Smith standing spot lit, centre stage muttering indistinctly to each other and occasionally readjusting necklines for what seems like several minutes, before the voice of the TV executive announces he’s ready to see their pitch. The fact that the audience is already laughing before they even say a word, I take as a sign of good things to come, and I’m not disappointed.

Oozing self-confidence, if somewhat misplaced, they launch into pitching a selection of all the most send-up-able TV styles you could wish for.  These include a period spoof, the double entendre eagerly pointed out by Justine, who seems to have a penchant for women’s bits; a cop show, where Justine’s cop persona, Sunshine, spends most of her time doing unmentionable things with a truncheon; a Spitting Image meets The Muppets current events show, about as hard-hitting as a sanitary pad (sorry it’s catching), starring Miss Piggy-inspired puppet versions of themselves. Guess who they want to write them a song!

My highlights are the Get Up morning show, a large part of which consists of giving emailers advice they “are completely unqualified to give”, and I’m so dying to find out how to make a Christmas tree out of … [spoiler averted]! Also, the hysterical take off of The Amazing Race reality show, which has a distinct Ab Fab feel.

The Pitch is billed as a “multimedia, musical sketch show”, and the on screen component works well when combined with live back-up to flesh out the comedy, however I feel the screen show becomes a little laboured towards the end. Despite that, the show is a hoot.

Justine and Irene have a great rapport and relaxed style, which allows their obviously well honed stand-up personas to frequently creep into the sketch. They are unmarried, childless and proud of it, with Justine’s distaste at the idea of having children creating some fabulous comedy fodder.

The Pitch is a great night out; I can’t wait for the TV series!   

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