Featuring unseen footage of the Canadian comedy pioneers

Amazon Prime Video has picked up a two-part documentary about Canadian comedy troupe The Kids in the Hall.

The two-parter, subtitled Comedy Punks, includes previously unseen footage from the earliest years of the troupe and interviews with members Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney and Scott Thompson.

Others interviewed for the show include  Lewis Black, Janeane Garofalo, Eddie Izzard and  Mae Martin.

McKinney’s younger brother Nick is one of the executive producers on the project, which he described as ‘ia deep, moving and surprising film that spans the whirlwind 40-plus years of the troupe’s existence, their die-hard fans and their enduring cultural legacy.’

The decision to buy the documentary – which will premiere at the SXSW festival in Texas in March – comes after Amazon ordered eight new episodes of the sketch comedy to air later this year.

Christina Wayne, head of Canadian originals at Amazon Studios, said: ’It is hard to put into context the influence The Kids have had on comedy. Captured in the documentary, the praise from some of the biggest names in comedy speaks volumes to the influence and timelessness of the troupe’s groundbreaking success.’

Executive producer Laura Michalchyshyn, of Blue Ant Studios added: ‘The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks is a deep and intimate look into the world of the legendary troupe. It offers a fascinating take on the cultural climate in which their groundbreaking comedy flourished.'

The troupe originally formed in Toronto in 1984 and made five TV series between 1988 and 1994, airing on CBC in Canada HBO and CBS in the States. They are known for surreal characters include Headcrusher, effeminate socialite Buddy Cole and the sexually aggressive hybrid Chicken Lady.

The troupe previously reunited for a narrative comedy series called Death Comes To Town, inspired by The League Of Gentleman, in 2010, and have toured together since then.

Here is our review of a revival show the troupe performed live at the 2017 Just For Laughs comedy festival in Montreal.

Published: 3 Feb 2022