The Anti-Social Network, The Workmans Club

A version of the Ted Talks' backdrop is projected onto the back wall of the stage in The Workmans Club, the arch itself surrounded by the traditional red curtain material. Onto it leaps Mick Connor, successful business man it seems, but he lacks one thing, someone with whom he can settle into a decent long term feud with. With this established, off Mick goes in search of 'The One' through a variety of misadventures, which really allows for the sketch style comedy to come into its own, with all parts being played by Liam Hourican and Jim Roche, including some impersonations of more real life people.

The idea is a good one, as they say. Flipping the notion of people getting on well on social media to that of people getting together to have a fight isn't really too far off the mark, when you think of social media and some of the comments that have been left. Coincidence maybe, but this is the same week Monica Lewinsky took to a TED stage to tell of her encounter with social media, and the effect comments had on her, and the more tragic effect it can have on people.

In many ways, Mick's idea is a more Fight Club, but this is all second place to the lurching from one moment to another, helped by video clips. What results is a lot of craziness that didn't seem to be firing on all cylinders, and lacked some energy and certainty in the beginning.

One of the best moments was the Gordon Ramsey sequence, this was when it all seemed to come together. Here Hourican, in a wonderful impersonation of Ramsey, brings his sights to bear on the Chef and his Kitchen Nightmares. But not all of the evening is of this calibre, despite the efforts of Hourican and Roche, under the direction of Tom Collinson. Here, an array of accents are on display, plus some dodgy looking vests, a reminder of Rab C Nesbitt, but there is a flatness to it all otherwise.

It was on at this venue for a one night only presentation, that took time to warm up. There is a lot that can be done with the topic, and at times it is there, but it missed the mark, leaving me with the feeling that more can be mined from it, both in terms of the Anti-Social Network, and the Gordon Ramsey idea.