If you’re in need of some crazily off-kilter humour in these dark times then we recommend new web series, Crying Out Loud. It isn’t a series based upon that famous Jim Steinman and Meatloaf song, but is instead a very entertaining absurdist comedy, set in London. Told across one night, the series follows Thom (Tom Wells) and Edd (Edward Cole), old schoolmates and current flatmates, who find themselves on a peculiar adventure after a cat that has been placed in their care, goes missing.
Those that are thinking that the project sounds rather like the film, Keanu, should know that the idea for Crying out Loud was actually conceived by its creator Kyle Chase, and was in production a number of years before the Peele and Key vessel arrived in cinemas. So why has it taken so long for this project to come to fruition? Well, to put it simply, the show is a true passion project that has been made by a dedicated group of friends for little-to-no money. That type of thing takes time.
Including a cast of over forty speaking roles (a mixture of friends, family, and professionals), the project came together through a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. Shooting took two and a half years, with a further two years sat in the edit bay. All of those involved can now breathe a huge sigh of relief though, as it has now debuted on a dedicated YouTube channel.
The cast is headed by Tom Wells, most recently seen playing Leo King in Eastenders, and Edward Cole. They have a great on-screen comradery and play the perfect odd couple. Wells is the ‘straight man comes unstuck’ and Cole is the more carefree and confident wise-guy. The cast also includes a plethora of Chase’s long-time friends and collaborators. Fans of the Filmageddon Film Quiz team will be delighted to know that their acting talents are all displayed at various times during the series, with quizmaster Frank Saldato being a particular highlight as a Texan tycoon named Beef Bourguignon. Fellow quizlings, Luke Ibbetson, Adam Grundy and Blair Treacy, also shine, with Ibbetson’s Marko stealing every scene he is in. Anyone who has experienced one of the team’s special brand of video rounds during their Filmageddon Lockdown quizzes knows just how amusing these guys can be, and they do not disappoint here.
We’ve been lucky enough to catch the first nine episodes and can confirm that Crying Out Loud is a little slice of lightness in these dark and tumultuous times. It’s comedy skewed heavily towards surrealist kookiness, and channels the likes of Psychoville and The Mighty Boosh to create a wonderfully absurd brand of humour. It won’t quite be to everyone’s taste, but then again, what comedy does satisfy everyone? For those that do get on with this type of humour, Crying Out Loud offers a treasure trove of enjoyment.
At times, the limited budget shows, but the team’s infectious excitement for the piece sufficiently distracts you from these niggles. All of those involved clearly had a blast making it, and that pride and determination shines through, injecting it with something that is so often missing from corporate comedy – heart.
The show airs on it’s YouTube channel three times a week, like some sort of comedy soap opera, and will run for a total of seventeen episodes. So far, only three have aired, and all are still available on the channel. So if you’ve yet to find this gem, you can easily catch up ahead of this week’s new episodes. With each episode only running somewhere between five and eight minutes, Crying Out Loud is the perfect entertainment to watch during your lunch break, be that whilst sitting at your socially distanced office desk, or at whatever your homemade workplace desk may be (sofa, bed, ironing board). It’s sure to generate a chuckle or two.
Catch new episodes of Crying Out Loud every Monday, Wednesday and Friday on You Tube.
