The NYC quartet makes their Edinburgh Fringe debut in a whirlwind of sharp dialogue twisted into absurd slapstick – combining their sketch comedy with an unhinged, unbeatable surreality.
From the very first moments, it’s impossible not to notice the chemistry between the four New Yorkers – Caroline Yost, Will Niedmann, Felipe Di Poi Tamargo, and Sam Lanier. It’s a harmony that plays out not just on stage, but in the spaces between their words: open-hearted conversations that feel both deeply personal and wildly absurd. Their sketches feel like a surreal roadmap for navigating the chaos, comedy, and quiet crises of life in your 20s and 30s.
The first of their best sketches brings us back in time, when Yost, being the only ‘girl’ in the quartet, is recruited as the first woman to work at NASA, given her talent of ‘doing multiplications in her head!’. It’s here that we get our first taste of the group’s signature awkwardness and surrealism – an energy the audience immediately embraces. Simple Town has a rare gift: turning our most intrusive, unspoken thoughts into something hilarious, strange, and oddly relatable.
They are able to transform something as mundane as queuing for the cinema in a chaos and war battle of beats. Later, despite modestly admitting that improv isn’t their strong suit, they dive into a spontaneous sketch built entirely from an audience suggestion. In this case, the word: ‘Dishwasher.’
A personal favourite: an awkward and wildly real representation of the society, with a ‘let’s introduce each other’s boyfriends’ sketch that, with vivid and incredible stage performance of these two weird and Robot-like boyfriends, makes us laugh and internally question if this is what’s been happening in our own lives, too.
Simple Town is a standout discovery at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe – a combination of absurdity and emotional truth that makes their work feel both deeply funny and oddly reflective.
Simple Town is at Above at Pleasance Courtyard until 24th of August
Review date: 21st of August
