Clever Peter: The Dreams Factory

Clever Peter are far better at ideas than the hapless ad execs they spoof in their latest show. This award-winning group have spun a tale of lunatic comedic gold out of the sketch format.

William Hartley, Edward Eales-White and Richard Bond hurtle around the stage with an energy that never drops throughout the hour. Welcome to The Dreams Factory: where ad pitches come true – however insane.

This is the narrative frame for a volley of inspired sketches. From campaigns for Rat’s Milk and AA to Groupon, Clever Peter launch their unique brand of humour at us. In general, it’s acutely funny.

The parody of ad speak—something hardly underexplored in comedy—is actually the least interesting element. The show is at its best when the ideas cascade like a chain reaction. It’s all in the sideways glance – two pheasants dancing on a road becomes a breathlessly hilarious piece of leftfield comedy.

Water pistols, plastic cocks and bad wigs all feature in the show’s playground of a set. The whole hour is primary-coloured clownishness anchored by a sharp eye for the off-kilter, some killer lines, and major improvisational chops. A few of the sketches get too caught up in their cleverness – leaving you admiring their conceptual slickness rather than feeling genuinely rib-tickled. But a fast-flowing stream of properly laugh-out-loud moments hook you back in again.

This is a confidently bonkers hour of skilfully performed comedy, which twists the traditional sketch show into a surreally brilliant new shape.