10 is almost perfect. In comedy it's - according to my opinion - not just a grade you donate to a show that made you laugh. It has to be special. Something you remember and use in your daily life afterwards. Something that transforms your ordinary sentences into gags and repeats of the comedians' punch lines. That was how Den Ægte Vare changed my - and my friends' - way of behaviour for more than a year. After watching this show more than just a couple of times, we gradually made up a whole language of Den Ægte Vare-sentences. In nearly every situation something from the show would pop up in our heads and make us dance like Mick Øgendahl, shout out insanely like Geo or imitate Carsten Eskelund's special lazy way of speaking softly to a duck. Naturally this couldn't go on forever, but still years after the premiere we often reach a point in our conversations where we ask ourselves: "Where do we know these words from??, ooh yeah hahaah, Den Ægte Vare off course! Good times..."
Well; to go more specific with the show: The thing that makes this comedy show better than all the rest (on the Danish market at least), is that it claims to be a show-off, with classic and the-way-it-should-be-done performances, in the different genres of stand-up comedy... And keeps its promise! For the first time (on a large scale) we are introduced to Rune Klan's world of combining well mastered magic tricks with classic stand-up and a close interaction with the audience PLUS Geo's mad and almost horrifying way of exploding on the scene in an insane outburst of energetic roars, jumps and facial distortions, still surprisingly keeping a somehow intelligent thread in his act. This can get pretty tiresome over time, but the limited time for each actor effectively avoids this feeling throughout the show. Then we get Carsten Eskelund in the role of announcer making his own split-up show between the other actors with his own subtle kind of humour. His perfect and cunning timing, on his however rather simple jokes, fortunately ensures this project the successful composition that forms the foundation on which it relies. Mick Øgendahl, my personal favourite stand-upper, is simply delivering his best show ever, hyperactively moving round the scene in a constant dishing out of unforgettable gags. Some of these even improvised with inspiration from his own small verbal mistakes on the way. And off course as an extra bonus, the national hero Anders "Anden" Matthesen in yet a great show to finish off the evening leaving everyone sobbing in tears. Only one to pull down on, but not spoil, the vote of 10 is Jacob Tingleff. He's funny and maybe also delivering his best show caught on tape, but nothing special like the rest of the show. Apart from this little detail, Den Ægte Vare all in all remains as the most pure and worked through stand-up show ever to take on the Danish scene. A piece of stage history constituting some kind of theatrical bible for most other Danish stand-uppers to originate in.
Well; to go more specific with the show: The thing that makes this comedy show better than all the rest (on the Danish market at least), is that it claims to be a show-off, with classic and the-way-it-should-be-done performances, in the different genres of stand-up comedy... And keeps its promise! For the first time (on a large scale) we are introduced to Rune Klan's world of combining well mastered magic tricks with classic stand-up and a close interaction with the audience PLUS Geo's mad and almost horrifying way of exploding on the scene in an insane outburst of energetic roars, jumps and facial distortions, still surprisingly keeping a somehow intelligent thread in his act. This can get pretty tiresome over time, but the limited time for each actor effectively avoids this feeling throughout the show. Then we get Carsten Eskelund in the role of announcer making his own split-up show between the other actors with his own subtle kind of humour. His perfect and cunning timing, on his however rather simple jokes, fortunately ensures this project the successful composition that forms the foundation on which it relies. Mick Øgendahl, my personal favourite stand-upper, is simply delivering his best show ever, hyperactively moving round the scene in a constant dishing out of unforgettable gags. Some of these even improvised with inspiration from his own small verbal mistakes on the way. And off course as an extra bonus, the national hero Anders "Anden" Matthesen in yet a great show to finish off the evening leaving everyone sobbing in tears. Only one to pull down on, but not spoil, the vote of 10 is Jacob Tingleff. He's funny and maybe also delivering his best show caught on tape, but nothing special like the rest of the show. Apart from this little detail, Den Ægte Vare all in all remains as the most pure and worked through stand-up show ever to take on the Danish scene. A piece of stage history constituting some kind of theatrical bible for most other Danish stand-uppers to originate in.