The Giggle Bunch review – still hilariously funny after all these years

A standup career can endure, but most sketch groups have a lifespan that is often short-lived, sometimes ending before they truly get started. This is especially true nowadays due to the limited outlets for sketch comedy beyond live fringe stages. Sheeps is one such sketch group that has felt like they’ve been on the brink of wrapping up since their debut 15 festivals ago. Their latest show, The Giggle Bunch (That’s Our Name for You), is announced as their last. They stress this point repeatedly, perhaps more than necessary. Maybe it’s because fans, myself included, regret the impending end. At their peak, Sheeps delivers comedy that is thrilling and mind-expanding, occasionally achieved in The Giggle Bunch, as evidenced by a post-apocalyptic scene featuring an unexpected David Brent cameo.

This comeback after six years is supposedly pieced together from scraps of several abandoned sets: one focused on their fathers, another tackling culture wars. Die-hard Sheeps fans know better than to take them too seriously, but maybe there’s some truth here. This patchwork origin might explain the lack of cohesive structure, with no solid framework other than this being their final show. This could also contribute to some sketches feeling more cryptic than usual, as if Sheeps, a group known for twisting sketches into non-conventional forms, has abstracted humor beyond the need for punchlines or discernible meanings. As Liam Williams narrates about a supposedly AI-generated sketch, “the true meaning remains a mystery.”

Yet, Sheeps frequently delivers exceptionally rich routines, brimming with wild juxtapositions and surprising innovations in sketch comedy. The show opens with Daran Johnson as a woke-phobic dad, extending the scene beyond the punchline to explore the backstory of side characters. Later sketches blend two Damon Runyon-esque New York gamblers with, quite randomly, a Yorkshireman who invents dog names, and a skit featuring Al Roberts’ droll impersonation of Keir Starmer mediating between a psychotic clown and its horrified victim.

True to form, there’s a musical number that combines half-hearted showbiz flair, overly candid content, and Williams’ less-than-melodious singing voice to hilarious effect. If this truly is the end, Sheeps are bowing out on a high note, if not at their absolute best.

• At Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh, until 25 August

Source: The Guardian