Four Screws Loose: The Big Screw Up

• Rowena McIntosh
• 7 August 2014

This article is from 2014.

High energy, accident prone sketch posse impress at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Whilst most shows include a perfunctory warning to switch off your phones, the four members of sketch troupe Four Screws Loose open with a hilarious musical number about the perils of mobiles, covering cheating at pub quizzes, addiction to YouPorn and ugly Grindr users in a routine that showcases both their impressive vocals talents and their on-topic humour.

The high energy routines, ridiculous costumes and constant laughs don’t let up for the entire hour as the guys race through routines including Jeremy Kyle the Musical, Bake Off meets Breaking Bad and a church choir conducted by a convict rapper. Though it might be the wrong season their brilliantly crafted Christmas sketch, a nativity play ‘sponsored by iTunes’ and entirely compiled of song clips, is a YouTube sensation waiting to happen.

The gimmick that they regularly screw up could seem contrived but the deliberate mistakes make excellent gags and even the genuine ones are effortlessly incorporated into the routines. The troupe appear genuine equals with no one performer hogging the limelight, though special admiration has to be given to Joseph who performs the energetic dance routines on crutches as, in true Screw Up style, he broke his ankle doing Beyoncé’s single ladies dance.

Assembly George Square Gardens, 623 3030, until 25 Aug (not 8), 6.20pm, £10.50–£11.50 (£9.50–£10.50).