I love a bit of nostalgia – although it ain’t what it used to be (ha ha etc…).

I started my comedy televisual watching career in the 80s (technically very, VERY late 70s) which soon progressed into the 90s as a teen (don’t you be doing the sums now).

My 80s journey I credit very much to the good taste of my parents, the 90s I credit as my own.

Last night’s comedy sketch tribute Revival of the Fittest at the brilliant largely hidden away theatre, The Empty Space near MediaCity, took us down memory lane, re-enacting some of the best scenes and sketches from the last few decades. Think UK Gold.

The nods and homages were wide-ranging and included Not the Nine o’clock News, Gimme Gimme Gimme, The Fast Show, The Frost Report with the ‘class sketch’ (taking us even further right back to the 60s but a classic that you didn’t need to be there for to know), Blackadder, Bottom, The Young Ones, The Two Ronnies, The Sketch Show, Only Fools and Horses and what almost felt contemporary, The League of Gentlemen.

90 minutes (with a short interval) is a long time for a cast to perform quick turnovers and scene transitions – let’s remember, the Fast Show had the luxury of the pre-record, and huge kudos has to be paid for the ambition, energy and high-octane performances and indeed rapid costume changes!

With a quick scan of the audience for this, night 1, I wondered how each sketch landed with each demographic. You would have those familiar with the origin text and performance having enjoyed it when first broadcast, those a little younger but through the power of repeats and British comedy infamy, clued up on the programme if not necessarily that particular sketch, and lastly those coming to the homage completely cold.

Would the comedy win through regardless or were context and knowledge of the reference important in order to allow the humour fully land in a knowing and recognisable way.

I think that for every audience member it would have been different and so the wide-scale offerings should have been enough to cover the spectrum and deliver something for everyone.

For me, different aspects worked for different reasons and below are a few of my highlights!

The Young Ones/Bottom

I’m grouping these two together, for obvious reasons and perhaps not so obvious. I’m going straight in and petitioning for a one man Vyvyan and Eddie Hitler tribute show. Callum Ainsley plays Ade Edmondson more than Ade Edmondson can play Ade Edmondson. I could listen to those strangulated vocals all the live long day. Well done cast on the University Challenge revisit (puppets and all)

The League of Gentlemen

Okey cokey pig in a pokey, Pauline herself was reborn and realised pitch perfectly on that stage in Salford by Paul Antony. As we revisited the Big Issue scene, it was great to enjoy that all over again and it provided a brilliant opportunity for audience interaction as Paul(ine) got to bully an unsuspecting audience member into taking on the Ross role, and partake in some brilliant improv.

The Two Ronnies

The genius of The Two Ronnies was their clever wordplay, performed in a comedically brilliant rhythmic style that was crucial in delivering the tongue twisting lines at a break-neck, fast-paced speed.

Messrs Barker and Corbett will surely have been looking down at The Empty Space that night proud that their material was in safe hands.

The Fast Show – Doctor sketch

You know what’s coming and with many of the sketches performed, that can create a pressure on the cast to deliver on expectations.

Signed, sealed and delivered on this one.

The Sketch Show – California Dreaming

Nailed. And I actually think the cast performed it funnier than the original.

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Round of applause to the cast and crew for probably one of the hardest working shows of the Fringe, and for bringing some classic comedy sketches back into our lives.

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• Michael Pope – Director, Producer, Ensemble
• Josh Vince – Producer, Ensemble
• Callum Ainsley – Producer, Ensemble
• Paul Antony – Ensemble
• Mica Young – Ensemble
• Daniel Bruce – Ensemble
• Maisie Hlil – Merch, Tech, Marketing

For more details of what’s coming up at GM Fringe, visit https://greatermanchesterfringe.co.uk/