ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ

Writing a review is strange at the best of times, but when there's a chance the very people you're writing about might critique it, it's even harder!

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from Joel Stickley and Luke Wright. As I had my theatre-shy husband in tow I was hopeful that it would be a) entertaining and b) short - and thankfully both wishes came true.

It's not often you feel like you've had your money's worth after just an hour, but the show was, in the most part, brilliant. And the festival's price structure meant it was fantastic value at a fiver.

The pair claim the show β€˜will change the way you read forever’. I'm not sure about that, but it'll certainly change the way I think about some of the things I read.

I'll no longer tut and then hit the delete button when I get an e-mail from a Nigerian Prince wanting to use my bank account - I'll spare a wry smile first. And if ever I read a review of something I've done, I'll be sure to employ the β€œβ€¦β€ method to make it say just what I want it to!

Wright and Stickley take you through a day in the life of 'stickman' and everything he reads, from the back of a cereal packet to the regular emails from his wide-boy colleague trying to arrange a night out.Μύ It's not just an excercise in reading out loud though - it's all rewritten to include the underlying messages the ad-men and writers don't want to actually tell you.

Both Joel and Luke are likeable, engaging and funny (although Luke did remind me, rather disconcertingly, of a former member of Westlife) and their use of the video stickman made it feel like there were three characters entertaining us.

The act was packed with clever observations and they had the, very mixed, audience racked with laughter. The relatively simple format - just two men and the aforementioned stickman on a screen, mean it is a celebration of the power of language.

If I was to be very tough, I’d say that occasionally the routine felt a little bit too rehearsed, and we did feel a little let down by the end of the show, which felt oddly serious in comparison to the rest of the evening.

That said, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the show, and will certainly be looking out for any future productions from Messrs Wright and Stickley.

Luke Wright is curating the Poetry Arena at the 2008 Latitude Festival at Henham Park near Southwold.

The Pulse Fringe Festival runs 29 May-14 June 2008 at various venues in Ipswich. Visit the Pulse website for full details.