Late Night Gimp Fight

In the four years since Late Night Gimp Fight's last show, they've gained a few things: some kids; some proper jobs; a couple of points. But they've not lost much, either. Specifically, they haven't lost 'it'.

There is, most definitely, a sense of occasion to Late Night Gimp Fight's return – one which, of course, the gang work hard to create. An opening number provides a bit of a retrospective, bringing us up to date with the returning heroes. And, to be fair, if there even are elder statesmen of sketch comedy, LNGF are probably they.

What happens next is a pretty standard set of sketches of the sort that LNGF are renowned for. And they are, for the most part, up to their own high standard. Pacy, punchy and with a good line in dirty (though never really depraved) humour, these are often perfectly formed pearls of comedy. A mid-section rapid-fire sketch off is a highlight, showing the group's ability to shape a scene in seconds, and trust their audience to fill in the gaps.

But, they've also picked up some bad habits. Some overlong song and dance numbers showcase their singing talents but feel driven by a big production budget rather than by the shape of the show. An exception here is a sensuous dance with a ladder, which could go on all night as far as I'm concerned. Worse still, I don't recall LNGF ever picking on anyone other than themselves. A song about Kim Kardashian, though perhaps not intentionally, feels too close to distasteful for comfort. It’s hard to give the benefit of the doubt to five smart, sharp men singing about a woman in terms which obliquely compare her to Donald Trump. It's not that this isn't great fun. It just doesn't live up to their own hype.