Best of Times

When the first character bursts onto stage, a combination of Doc Brown with the dialogue of the Eleventh Doctor, you know you're in for some good nerd comedy. Best of Times combines the style of an episode of Laugh or Die with nerd references ranging from Big Lebowski quotes to Lord of the Rings motivational speeches. Sketches range from the interactions of clocks to the historical reenactment of human beings and bears becoming one. It's a grab bag, but one that is well-timed and clever, avoiding the pitfalls of gross-out humour or over-indulgent in-jokes. The Sparse set and costume design help focus what could otherwise be a rather confused movement between time periods and settings. Though at times you sometimes feel as though you're watching a play in your parents basement, it often only adds to the charm.