Flo and Joan: The Joan and Flo Show (Assembly George Square Studios, Studio Three) features a singing sister duet, who play keyboard and drums respectively and sing funny songs on topical themes, interspersed with anecdotes about their lives and work.
Studio Three, where they perform, is a lecture theatre and they mention that right from the start – and make it seem funny. In fact, as their songs attest, they can make any topic you can think of – and many you certainly haven’t – very funny. Their between-song chat and introductions to each song often don’t give away what the next topic is actually going to be, earning them bigger laughs when the subject becomes apparent.
Flo’s deadpan, somewhat serious demeanour is beautifully offset by Joan’s more kooky style, and the interplay between them is as natural as you might expect from sisters. Physically unalike – Flo is shorter and dark-haired, whilst Joan is tall and blonde – the audience may wonder whether this is a clue that they are not really sisters, but just part of the act. Well actually no, they ARE sisters, who play up their differences.
Flo and Joan is all about the songs and the girls have great voices and sing harmonies so closely it’s sometimes hard to tell which one is singing which part. Not that it matters – the words are really what matter. And the words are brilliant. Each song tells a story – one we’re often familiar with, but not told quite like this – and each story has a great punchline that, even though you might anticipate it, still makes you laugh out loud. My only slight niggle is that the songs could have been slightly shorter without losing anything – and maybe even allowing one more to sneak in.
The show I went to was a sell-out and I’m not surprised. Word of mouth tends to be the best way to get bums on seats and these girls have been here before, so I’m sure they already have a regular following, but I bet word was out there from the start of this run that this is a great show, performed with great timing and with a glint in their eyes.
No spoilers, but you MUST stay till the end of Flo and Joan – their final song brought the house down!
