Pappy’s is/are a comedy/sketch trio, consisting of the itinerantly ludicrous Tom Parry, the occasionally ridiculous Ben Clark and the intermittently sensible Matthew Crosby. Currently starring in two podcasts, they are some of the main frontrunners of British podcasting. Parry also recently appeared on the very new International Waters podcast over on the MaxFun network. In this Purview we’ll take a look at both their gameshow podcast: Pappy’s Flatshare Slamdown; and their half-improv, half-sketch show: Pappy’s Bangers and Mash.
As a comedy triumvirate, Pappy’s often find themselves filling out the expected roles, though with a fantastic liquidity and absurdity that makes them more than just another trio. Frequently, for example, one will take up an incredulous opinion, one will be set dead against it and the other partner will waiver in between. The glory of Pappy’s though, is how they’ve essentially modernised an old format into a dynamic that fits much better with ‘modern comedy’ styles. Rather than having accepted and pre-defined roles for each participant, the rules are a lot more fluid. Whilst Parry will frequently be either the butt of jokes or the lead lunatic, with Crosby often filling the ‘sensible’ role, there is always a smoothness to their transitions, meaning suddenly Clark might become the sensible one, as one of the others switches roles themselves. Because a lot of their best work is improvised, the group dynamic is constantly in flux, based on slips of the tongue, indelicate phrasing, or a complete sudden change in outlook. Out of these spontaneous jokes and verbal misfortunes more jokes break through, allowing the group to burst into life. They are also a group in a very literal sense, shown through their sense of togetherness and collective laughter. Other multi-person acts really suffer from being too into their own jokes, making them isolated by their insularity; but Pappy’s are always projecting their enjoyment of one another’s company and comedy shining through best when most intense. Their relationships gives the group a real complexity that’s both reflective of, and reflected by their sense of humour.
Pappy’s Flatshare Slamdown is a live panel/game show, set around a different flatshare-based crisis each week. Every episode features a pair of guests, serving as Parry and Clark’s wingmen, whilst Crosby hosts. Themes vary between issues such as the buying of milk, the refitting of lightbulbs, to whose going to take out the bins; all of which Parry and Clark refuse to solve, and thus the show exists to determine who it is that’s forced to solve it. Through a series of games, tasks like singing in German, or solving other peoples ‘beefs,’ the cast are able to both perform the scripted material and use their off the cuff skills to fuel a constant vein of comedy. There is always a delightful underlying chaos to the show, seeping through with an eagerness and humour that is simply delectable. Their natural comedicness shines brightest when the format breaks down and the games devolve into a little mess of confusion, allowing the group to engage in increasingly improbable discussion. From Parry’s unhinged character of Fanshaw Stanton, to Crosbys increased madness at the intro tunes, to Clark’s rambling collusions of bad ideas and irrelevant facts, there is a real comedy package here. Even the pun round titles are awesome, as ‘Yahtzee Germany’ would quite rightly attest.
Pappy’s Bangers and Mash is a more traditional podcast, involving a conversation(the mash) and sketches based off of this (the bangers). This quintessential podcast format allows for a much easier comparison to ‘rival’ shows, such as The Long Shot or Improv4Humans, but there is a quite different aesthetic to PBAM. As sketch comedians as opposed to improvisers, they wait until after the show to pick out the elements that are riffed on. This allows for the conversation to carry an odd sense of benign innocence and a sense of comedy different to other, similar, shows. The episodes freely roam between ridiculous theories through to quite gross discussions of bodily waste round to absurd suggestions of origins stories. From a personal perspective, I prefer the ‘mash’ to the ‘bangers,’ though the sketches give the show a sense of completeness, offering some instant gratification to go alongside the long form conversation. The sketches are usually quick in and out parodies, in which a premise is quickly established and destroyed, quite often taking ideas from the show and implanting them on common pop culture cliches and advertisements.
All in all, Pappy’s offer distinctive, successful and frequently hilarious angles on podcasting. Attempting to use the media for new forms and functions, whilst sticking to the mantras that make podcasts so very different from other entertainment. With an unending sense of humour, sense of timing and utter charm, the trio provide a great window into both the British comedy scene and podcasts themselves. They’re doing a fabulous job and hopefully one that can continue developing and defining well into the future.
You can find all their podcasts on iTunes, or via www.pappyspodcasts.tumblr.com Or you could tweet the trilogy @Pappystweet on twitter. They’re also on facebook as Pappy’s. That’s all.