Review: EDINBURGH 2024: BISHOPS: FAREWELL BRUCE PORCELAIN, Underbelly, Cowgate

“Why is a sketch duo hosting a funeral in the first place?”

Walking into Bishops: Farewell Bruce Porcelain, you are greeted by the titular bishops, Chris Curran and Noah Matthews, welcoming you to the funeral of Bruce Porcelain and handing out booklets with the order of service as an organ version of Toto’s “Africa” plays. However, it is quickly revealed that this might not be the kind of funeral we are expecting - Curran and Matthews confess that they aren’t real bishops (surprise, surprise).

The show begins with Curran and Matthews explaining why we are gathered at a funeral. Since their debut, the pair have been receiving messages from actual members of the clergy, including a man named Pastor Harry Biata. Desperate to win his approval Curran and Matthews decided that they would put on a religious service, which ended up being the funeral service for Bruce Porcelain, whose urn is displayed next to the stage. Even though neither of them has been baptised, the two are determined to give the best funeral service possible - you can guess that it’s going to lead to chaos. 

The main plot of the show, or, more accurately, the thin thread connecting the different sketches, is that each of the scenes is going through a stage of Bruce Porcelain’s life. Most of these involve Tony, Bruce’s friend from childhood, and we see the two grow up together. A highlight of this bit is when the two move into a home and there’s some confusion between “wine cellar” and “wine seller” (it’s exactly what you think it is).

Another collection of scenes involves a playwright meeting Bruce at an audition and deciding to write a play about his life story, which leads us into two actors performing the play, but things keep going wrong, including Curran always entering early, leading to a fight between the two. 

There are constant twists and turns throughout the show and, even with the order of services in front of you, it is impossible to guess what is coming next. And the show isn’t simply taking place on stage. There are several moments that happen backstage, where the microphones are “unintentionally” left on to reveal some emotional conversations between the pair.

There is even a surprise appearance by Joe Pike from My Last Two Brain Cells as a bizarre character dressed in nothing but a bin bag. One of my favourites of these strange moments involved a sketch where disguise after disguise is torn off, making it difficult to know exactly who is who in between the duo. Another is an insane reality show about Bruce Porcelain that somehow leads to the dramatic (and strangely emotional) death of two hair follicles. 

Bishops: Farewell Bruce Porcelain is a hilarious hour of sketch comedy disguised as a funeral. You may not learn anything about the man whose funeral you’re attending, but you’ll certainly have fond memories of him!

Bishops: Farewell Bruce Porcelain ran until 25 August at Underbelly, Cowgate - Delhi Belly.

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