Review: Sheeps – Dancing with Lisa, Pleasance Courtyard (Venue 33)

By Jay Richardson
Published on 16/08/2012 15:43

At THEIR second Edinburgh Fringe, Sheeps are already deconstructing the skits and sketches format with alacrity, forsaking some of the inspired, whimsical sparkle of their debut for a clever but less engaging hour.

***

The artificiality of the performance is flagged from the first, with a facetious portrayal of the group’s origins and an amusing glimpse of sketches allegedly dropped from the show. But why are they here? Liam Williams, Daran Johnson and Alistair Roberts playfully invoke the clichés of making it in Hollywood; a sporting hero dragging himself back from the dirt; a riddle, wrapped up in Johnson’s dream that they feverishly attempt to unscramble, Williams convinced that his statue of a hawk will yield the answer. The writing is tight, the chemistry between the trio evident and incisive repartee elevates each episode. Still, I found myself longing for the more straightforward delivery – a Tudor aware of his century’s relative shittiness; poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy’s furtive relationship with Kate Middleton. These invariably satisfy more than the stop-start, postmodern moments when they launch into a skit mid-point, then pull back to comment on what they’re doing.

Until 26 August. Today 5:10pm.