Edinburgh Fringe comedy review

It seems appropriate for Siblings to have set their latest sketch show in the world of dreams, given how much they lean into the absurd and the freewheeling, barely constrained by the logic of the conscious world.

Marina Bye plays mad scientist Dr Gargle, who has invented a helmet that makes its wearer’s nocturnal thoughts come to life, driven by a tragic back story involving a missing wife and Five Guys (the burger chain, though it’s open to misinterpretation, obviously). 

Sister Maddy is the lowly assistant, 15 years into an unpaid internship and with an endearing way of saying ‘permission to speak / permission granted’ to herself before raising any issues with her unhinged boss. Although subservient, she is what passes for the brains behind the operation.

Over the hour, they seek volunteers to test the invention, which is cunningly disguised as a pimped-up colander. Pop it on an audience member’s head, and a dreamworld alternative reality (aka ‘sketch’) is evoked. 

And wouldn’t you know it, but people’s dreams are bonkers…. and surprisingly full of puns. Very poor ones too – ‘we’ll have "nun" of that’ level-stuff – but joyously celebrated for their sheer stupidity by the ever-engaging Byes.

The pair exude fun, their show seeming like a natural extension of a spontaneous mucking about that’s defined their lifelong relationship. Needless to say their chemistry is almost telepathic. And given their parents are Ruby Wax and leading sitcom director Ed Bye – as it seems compulsory to mention – it’s probably no surprise that their sisterly love language is laughter. 

I didn’t always follow them all the way into some of their madder rabbit holes, but they’re very persuasive, and most did, including the audience members whose subliminal minds they probed, quickly overcoming initial awkwardness to play along with the merrymaking.

Don’t try to maintain too tight a grip on any of the Siblings’ ideas, just as the duo don’t themselves. Instead just submit to their mad imagination as we meet the evangelicals in a private country club church, a lustful queen and a crow at a football match and wait to  see where it all leads. 

One of their targets harbours dreams of being in a boy band,  apparently, which is how it is we come to be singing a song about boobs – not long after another jaunty number  about having a wet dream about your grandma that’s dumb, not offensive.

These tracks, like everything else, are played for silliness in an hour that fosters a sense of rootless chaos above all else – even though the sisters know exactly what they are doing in building a community of willing co-conspirators in their tomfoolery.

• Chortle’s coverage of sketch and multi-character acts at the Edinburgh Fringe is supported by (but not influenced by) the Seven Dials Playhouse. Read more

Review date: 24 Aug 2025
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett
Reviewed at: Pleasance Courtyard