In the name of the knock knock, the double entendre and the riddle the brilliant Reduced Shakespeare Company packed more clever punchlines into this spectacular history of comedy than you could shake a stick at.

Questions such as who are the least funny people in the world and who are history’s fools prompted slides of political figures.

Why did the chicken cross the road was hilariously put in the costume and vernacular of characters through the ages, from cave men to post-modernism.

It’s not just the way they tell ‘em.

Gary Fannin, Andrew Hodges, Matthew Pearson and Steven Rostance demonstrated an enviable energy in their performance of Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor’s very clever and hugely-researched script, absolutely jam-packed with insight and comedic references for all it was the “abridged” version. 

Their timing was impeccable: a string of dolls were thrown out from behind a screen as a cavewoman gave birth, and the precision of doll to knee bend was phenomenal.

To follow the matinee with the evening show would have been worth it; it was so fast-paced you could watch it time and again and laugh at something new.

BYOP - Bring Your Own Pie.