The one slight criticism I have for them is that occasionally the sketches became a little bit repetitive and predictable, perhaps because of the very specific focus of the show on the struggle of job-hunting. One particularly entertaining scene involved the voice over acting as an internal monologue for Leo in an interview. The duo used a Powerpoint very effectively to guide the audience through their various sketches, as well as using an audio voice-over, which worked to great comedic effect, designed and operated by Lucia Revel-Chion. Reich and Downie work incredibly well together, with outstanding comedic timing. The exaggerated characterisations of themselves are endlessly funny and charmingly irreverent, with some great lines that turned sketches completely around, pushing them to the limits of the absurd but without ever feeling incongruous. One standout moment was Downie embodying “Belopé”, the middle-aged dog salesperson on ‘Sex Desert’, due to the sheer creativity behind the invention of such a ridiculous character and the incorporation of this into their Love Island parody.
Particular praise must go to the attention to detail, for example in their synchronised speaking when talking about their “creative differences”. Their stage presence and energy enable them to carry the audience through the show without losing their focus or dropping a single joke. Reich and Downie work incredibly well together, endlessly bouncing and building off each other, with outstanding comedic timing. There was an excellent and well-considered structure, with jokes consistently referenced across sketches, and the youthful quality of their humour means that the jokes were current, relevant and seldom stale. All are spot-on in their imitations of real life and gain a lot of their humour from Reich and Downie’s commitment and bravery in pushing their ideas to the extremes. Interwoven into this storyline are quirky and original sketches, ranging from their Love Island parody “Sex Desert” to a mockery of “young business people”. The plot follows out-of-work aspiring actors Emm and Leo when they re-meet by chance while waiting for an interview for the same job. Written, directed and performed by Leo Reich and Emmeline Downie, it is an incredibly relatable show, loosely based on the premise of job hunting. Manhunt 2: Big Mood certainly does what it says on the tin.