Komisch Menschen
A Beginner's Guide to German Humour!
(2007)
Henning Wehn/Otto Kuhnle
Holyrood Too @ Faith. 3-26 August. 19:45 (50min)
Who knew the Germans could be funny? Yes, the butt of most lack-of-humour gags for several decades have actually been laughing at the English all this time.
It's Henning Wehn and Otto Kuhnle that take us on this cross-cultural stereotypes-fest. Plenty of jokes at the expense of both Germans and the British, including their sausages, alpine horns and yodelling, and our inability to play football. Kuhnle even wears a stop watch to precisely time the arrival of the first gag about the war.
Wehn and Kuhnle play up to our preconceptions, including an illustrated song about a train that arrives three minutes late, so the German station manager commits suicide. And the relevant police department that deals with rough sausage trading. And the stolen gold in Switzerland. The delivery is so dry you could light a match on it, and the audience is clearly appreciative of the material.
I suspect we may see this pair back at the Fringe next year, although they may need a bigger venue to accommodate their growing fan base.
[Pete Shaw]
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