New character pair Trodd en Bratt have a totally silly free show that's a lot of fun – well done them

With silly hats and sillier voices, Lucy Trodd and Ruth Bratt bring a host of larger-than-life characters to the stage for their debut sketch show, Well Done You. Well done you for coming, they congratulate (and it does feel good – I’m a sucker for approval). And well done too to them.

Set in the low-ceilinged vault of Maggie’s Front Room at the Three Sisters and not aided by a cacophony of what sounded like barrel slinging behind a nearby bar, the charismatic pair command your attention at every juncture. Having overcome the differences of their respective backgrounds – Lucy is from the serious circuit, dahling – they make a wonderful team, playing out all manner of silly sketches and making everything fun or each other and for us.

Their pat banter is nice – the antagonism between them is pitched at just the right level, never running too far into the faux bitchery which other female duos too often opt for. Trodd demonstrates some of her warm-up exercises she learnt on the serious circuit, and treats us to some of her dexterous impressions of fruit (though level 5 fruit impressionery did leave us a little flummoxed – much to her despair). Bratt shows us some of the techniques she’s picked up from Trodd, such as getting into character (ie putting on a hat).

It’s totally silly and thoroughly enjoyable. Sometimes the punchlines can be a little too long in the coming, and there’s no overarching theme to give it the sense of a composite whole; however, this is a pair that know what they’re doing and do it well. They have an excellent rapport with their audience, and it’s a delight to watch them do their stuff.

3.5 stars

• Trodd en Bratt – Well Done You is on at 5.45pm at the Laughing Horse @ Free Sisters

Review written by Paul Fleckney