I sat down with Jack McMinn and Absana Rutherford to find out more about Petfood! coming to the Etcetera Theatre in January.

Can you tell me a little about your show and what audiences can expect?

Our show is a one-hour whirlwind of all kinds of comedy – sketch, musical, character, cabaret and even some improv.

Between us, we reached the final of the 2025 Musical Comedy Awards, appeared on Channel 4’s The Piano, and reached the semi-final of the Leicester Square Theatre Sketch Off. So you can expect to be wowed within medically sensible boundaries, hopefully.

What drew you to this specific story?

While running Live and Peculiar, our previous cabaret show, we fostered a deep love for alternative comedy formats. We wanted to hone our craft in a 2-man show, and thus Petfood! was born. Previously performed at both Brighton and Edinburgh Fringe, our show is now at its final form – so this is its final performance!

What has been the biggest challenge in bringing this production to life?

Our biggest challenge has been that we currently live in different cities. So, we’ve had to take to rehearsals in a variety of formats, online and in-person.

But hopefully that should change soon and we’ll be able to meet to write and rehearse much more often!

Or we’ll continue to resent each other long-distance. Who knows?

How does the design of your show (set, sound, or lighting) impact the presentation of your story?

We utilise a variety of different lighting and sound arrangements to keep the energy up!

In sketch shows, it’s vital to not feel too formulaic so we try to vary our transitions to keep excitement going. Expect bold, bright and bizarre.

If you could sum up the show in one word or phrase, what would it be and why?

Petfood! Because like the show itself it’s made up of all kinds of eclectic nonsense.

Petfood! runs at the Etcetera Theatre, London, on 16 January 2027. Tickets available at https://events.humanitix.com/petfood