Sitting in a well-lit theatre, chatting away to an old chum, the promise “I think you’ll really enjoy this” sets a nerve-rackingly high bar for a new comedy play. 

Interrupting an animated conversation was an unconventional opener to a show but nothing about Spymonkey’s approach to comedy can be described as conventional. 

The title, Moby Dick, implies a comedic interpretation of an old classic is on the horizon but this is blown out of the water within seconds. 

Using a combination of physical comedy, adult humour, music and utter confusion, the small ensemble weave through the narrative with the panache of The Mighty Boosh and Monty Python. 

While some of the wit is in the plays on words, the physical skills of Stephan Kreiss and Aitor Basauri dissolve the entire audience into cries of laughter for long episodes akin to John Cleese’s masterpieces.

Ignore the dread that swells as the realisation dawns that it is yet another book ignored as a youngster and go to see this with an open mind. 

After all that dissertation stress this is the perfect remedy.

Moby Dick runs at the Lyric, Hammersmith until May 1.  Tickets can be bought for as little as £10 here.     

Have you ever been to watch your mates play in a band and cringed the whole way through?  No?  Ever been dragged by your parents to hear a younger sibling in a school choir and thought, ‘it’s cute that they’re trying but please remove my ears!’? 

New play Pub Rock at the Lyric Hammersmith encompasses all of these feelings and this is the sheer beauty of it.  Not only do you feel uneasy because these people seriously think they are great at their job but they are doing their best to get the crowd going with their mediocre musicality.

The actors belt out rock and pop covers during a play that reveals the characters and their relationships while you pop to and fro from the bar whenever you feel like it.  Sounds too good to be true?  Well, it’s staged in a pub.  That’s right, an actual pub. 

For students struggling on a shoestring budget, the £10 ticket price plus travel and drinks might be a stretch too far.  This is the only downside however. 

Got a spare evening with nothing but watching reruns on Dave to do?  Splash out and treat yourself. Feel better because you went and got all cultured up. 

No-one ever needs to know you were tossing your hair around and singing your heart out in the process.

The Lyric takes part in the Free Theatre Tickets For Under 26s scheme so the £10 ticket cost could be blown out of the water.  Call the theatre on 0871 22 117 29 for more details.

Pub Rock runs until February 20.