Review: Fuckwits (Feat. Simon Donald, Steffen Peddie, Gavin Webster & Paul Ricketts) – Newcastle Stand

Fuckwits, the work-in-progress panel show from Viz duo Alex Collier and Simon Donald [pictured], is one of the brighter lights on the North East comedy scene.

Live and improvised from the Newcastle Stand, two teams of comics, guided by Donald, are charged with completing clueless crosswords and other nonsensical puzzles.

What do Jaws and a discount sofa have in common? What does EEEIEU really mean? Whose catchphrase is “Would you like fries with that?” If you weren’t here this afternoon you’ll probably never know…

Both teams get big laughs from the word search round early doors, so much so that Steffen Peddie begs for a reprieve when Donald eventually moves on. But on he moves, and as it turns out the celebrity catchphrase round is that little bit better – if you get on board with the Savile gags!

It’s not all plain sailing this afternoon, though. The blank crosswords that open today’s show are seriously hard work, for the comics as much as the lethargic crowd. For the crossword round our panellists need to come up with a word (the feed-line) and explain how it fits into a sentence/theme (the gag) on the spot – which leaves Gavin Webster looking proper fed-up for at least half the show.

Guest Paul Ricketts seems just as clueless; he quietly leaves Peddie to pick up the pieces on more than one occasion, and his only real contribution is a needless swipe at female stand-ups, who “don’t have jokes.”

If you’ve watched a panel show recording you’ll know that before the edit it’s a bit flabby, and certainly not as slick as you’ll see on the final cut. But experimental shows like Fuckwits need to be encouraged through quieter moments like today, as they continue to grow and transform. The format’s certainly worth sticking with – it’s made for bigger things.

At Fuckwits, chaos rules supreme, and if you can accept that you’ll enjoy the show just fine.