French and Saunders - Still Alive Tour

After reading Dawn French’s autobiography I knew the upcoming French and Saunders show was not something I could miss, particularly as it is their last ever tour. I even managed to convince my mum to come up to watch – not something she regretted doing!

The show began with a video of French and Saunders being driven around by a squirrel trying to find Auckland, New Zealand. They then crashed onto the stage and the madness began.

Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders have been on our TV screens for years, most notably in The Vicar of Dibley and Absolutely Fabulous, however this show was the first and last time the two have made it to New Zealand to grace us all with their comic talent. A real shame really as judging by the diversity of the audience, they are quite truly loved by so many New Zealanders.

The first sketch performed was a funny medical act which was performed with amazing comic timing and before you could blink it was all over and they were moving onto the next one. In between each sketch they would interact with the audience, with Dawn at some stage venturing off the stage with her chocolate-monitor in an attempt to confiscate any chocolate she could find in the audience (most likely so she could enjoy it herself later). During this time she would put the camera up skirts where she would find cobwebs, down cleavage where there would be a rodent hiding and into someone’s hair, where naturally there would be a collection of head lice!

The whole show was done very cleverly with some pre-recorded acts shown on a screen, one of which being a Mamma Mia act – copying as closely as possible scenes from the recent Mamma Mia movie. The costume changes were quick and funny, Saunders’ act as Madonna was highly amusing and both the Vicar of Dibley and Absolutely Fabulous were intertwined into the show.

Their skits also involved the old favourites, Edina Monsoon from AbFab, the fat, perverted bald old men and Jill and Jo who have moved to America to name but a few. I should issue a warning though for any wishing to view the ‘Still Alive’ tour on DVD – you may be exposed to plastic penis and balls.

Hilariously funny, and big ups to Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders.