EDINBURGH 2023: Review: THE DEAD DUCKS, TheSpace @ Surgeon's Hall

As another year and another Fringe rolls around it can mean only one thing; The Dead Ducks' return to Edinburgh. A highlight of every festival season in the Scottish capital and one of the best sketch groups in the UK.

With Kat Lazarus being the only member of last year's troupe to return as a performer - Tommy Harris and Eloise Ward are also still involved but as directors - there comes a brand new gang of comics who must fill the boots of the last (some pretty big boots to fill). Introducing: Steph Anderson, Lowen Costello-Roberts, Evan Hall, Jonny Holbek and Laura Maddison. 

The show begins with the Ducks entering the stage, celebrating wildly and rocking out hard for the biggest party of the year; granny's will reading. It's a pretty funny opening all things considered, but when it is revealed that this would be the "narrative" for the show, it creates a lacklustre connecting tissue which almost never holds. Granted the Ducks do poke fun at this themselves though it feels like a weak consolation more than a self deprecating, meta layer to the show.

Throughout the hour there are sketches a-plenty and most of them are ok though very few stand out as a truly great or hilarious sketch. Perhaps the funniest of the show was a routine in which a soldier is killed at war, leaving his fellow comrade with the trauma of it all, only for it to be revealed that he is not in fact dead and that it is all a surprise birthday party for the solider. As for the rest of the gags it seems as though the Ducks have lost their talent for punchlines and have fallen into the nasty habit of long sketches; running the idea for too long and losing its comedic edge or simply never knowing when to end the idea itself.

This issue reverberates throughout the show. Whereas sketch comedy usually comes with a variety of sketches both in length and in execution, something which The Dead Ducks themselves had been masters of for years prior, this year's show lacks the punchy pacing and structure which had made their shows so successful in the past. Instead, the hour-long performance seems bloated and can be a bit of a slog at times.

The biggest issue, however, comes from the performers themselves. Whereas previous iterations of the cast had provided wonderful comics who showed great talent and ability with each show allowing every cast member to shine, this generation of performers has a few cracks, with some lacking in confidence and comedic timing or others who are underutilised.

There are good ideas throughout the show which are let down by underwhelming performances, such as the bear in the bedroom sketch. Some performers do hold their own - Kat Lazarus being a constant reliable source for laughs - and back up much of the sketches they are involved in. However, it can still feel as though cast members are not being written for their strengths and are instead stretching themselves thin over the show to ensure that their parts are of a higher quality.

The Dead Ducks' newest show isn't terrible, it provides laughs and the audience certainly seem to enjoy their hour. However, as someone who has attended The Dead Ducks every year that they have appeared at the Fringe since 2019 and has considered them a consistently great, five star worthy act each time, this show was a disappointing low for the group. Whereas I had previously compared the group to the likes of Monty Python, it feels as though this latest iteration is more akin to the 1985 cast of Saturday Night Live; some undoubtedly good performers and some good sketch ideas, though still finding their feet.

Given the revolving door of cast members it is no surprise that the quality of The Dead Ducks would eventually dip, somewhat. As sad as it is to see and as disappointing as it is to write this review, it is no damnation of the Ducks but instead an acceptance on the aforementioned dip in quality and an observation on the areas of growth which are needed to allow the Ducks to return to their former glory. There are good ideas and strong performers in this cast; I see no reason why they themselves could not craft a terrific show next year.

Last year I ended my review by writing a message directly to the Ducks saying "As for the Ducks themselves, please do return, you are a highlight of the Fringe each year." In spite of this review, this message is repeated again this year. 

The Dead Ducks run at theSpace @ Surgeon's Hall until 19 August.

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