Law Revue shat satire all over J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter: The Goblet of Fire and called it art. It was.
Law Revue 2026 follows Harry Notter, a wimpish boy forced to do chores by his evil flatmates, who receives a letter one fateful day from Albus Dumbledean. Huzzah! He has been accepted into second-year law. Stepping back into the law-eat-law world of Richardson Castle, Notter is mysteriously thrust into the Tri-Legal Tournament, despite a third-years-only policy (positive discrimination). Harry isn't worried, though, despite who he faces: Cedric Bigotry and Draco of the firm Malfoy-Dixon-Crouch – much-needed representation for National-voting gay law students.
The first main sketches, on stage and screen, really wowed us. Each bounced from Potter trope to Potter trope without missing a beat, and with some pretty ace effects – like students walking right through the Richardson lift doors – outstanding work from the video crew.
Law Revue also delivered some really memorable main-sketch characters. Harry Notter, played by Rakai Murray, develops from wimpishness into the overly-prideful "Boy Who Passed". Jomana Moharram was a kick-ass Hermione, and Dev Pandya portrays a ginger Law student with an AI girlfriend and a pretty unreliable wig. Often overlooked, the background actors also deserve kudos. Between this revue and last, Law's defining strength is in its no-name characters creating a fun environment on stage, without stealing the spotlight. Case in point: Cedric Bigotry, played by Conor Chesney, stripping and flexing on the opposite side of the stage. Eilis Dender was also outstanding, and we’re not just saying that because she held a Critic at one point. From her sexy Dobby to her dancing Chris Luxon, she absolutely killed it. And once Logan Ding established his Malfoy, all he had to do was say "scoff" and hold intense eye contact with Harry Notter to have us in fits. The homoeroticism too juicy, the Drarry too buttery. Ough. Still waiting for that kiss though.
The decision to adapt a Harry Potter book was brave, considering the author has been bashing the transgender community for [checks notes] nearly a decade. Habeas Chorus, the Law singing troupe, took the stage by storm with a parody of Lilly Allen's Fuck You, aimed at J. K. Rowling. Told by the pre-show announcement to boo if a wild Rowling appeared, the audience obliged as Habeas chased her off. Law Revue had given us little cause for concern, after last year's show musically shat all over the UK Supreme Court's anti-trans ruling. Still, they stuck the landing.
While Capping dodged politics this year, a Law Revue (especially one held in an election year) is never complete without a law-oriented political satire. True to form, Christopher Luxon, David Seymour, and a biblically accurate Winston Peters (doing a Duckwalk dance) used their singing talents and new Move On Order legislation to get some beggars out of there. If you don't laugh, you'll cry.
Side sketches that were prescient, but not super-serious, made up the other highlights: an accurate portrayal of passive-aggressive law LinkedIn posts, and an ad recommending lonely fifth-years take a first-year paper. Too soon, bro. Add Dev's excellent portrayal of The Matrix's Neo, and it's all just so fucking flavoursome.
The law jokes were much easier for the uninitiated to understand, compared to the 2025 Revue. Which is why we were a little confused at the non-law jokes thrown into the blend. Even their Law lecturer sketch managed to top last years’, especially with the outstanding behind-the-scenes clips. The non-law sketches weren't unfunny, per se. We appreciate a depiction of Grant Robertson as an evil Eye of Sauron situation, so deep-fried he looked AI-generated, as much as the next guy. But as good as the Mourning Routine, Bananas in Pajamas, and Raro sketches were, they were kinda giving B-tier Capping Show pitches.
While it was off to a rip-roaring start with the first three main sketches, they lost a bit of steam in the middle, giving way to two meandering, middle-of-the-plot sketches, and we know why. Hermione puts the unqualified Mr Notter through a training montage for the first trial, which is cancelled, and that's how Act 1 ends. It would have been a funny riff on law exams if it didn't kill the momentum it built up. The second trial is also cancelled, and the final is basically just a running race.
Overall, the show managed to balance comedy with an actual plot. Good storytelling is deceptively, dangerously easy: give a main character a flaw, then a do-or-die challenge where they have to change, or they fucking die. Law aced this. The focus is Harry Notter's ego driving away Weasley and Hermione, who he relies on, not on the trials themselves. Still, we would have liked one brief spoof on a law-y challenge. Y'know, maybe in a montage? But fair's fair – the middle of every Potter book is just wacky nonsense and nothings, so maybe they were just being faithful to the text.
Holy-freaking-well-executed-surprise-plot-twist: Dumbledean submitted Notter's name into the Goblet! Dumbledean knew Harry Notter used AI to get into second-year, but he just couldn't prove it. Dumbledean was Weasley's AI girlfriend this whole time! And he just killed Cedric Bigotry with the Code of Conduct! He would’ve gotten away with it too, if the groovy gang didn't kill him with the power of friendship (yippee). So take heed, ye cheaters. Law school isn't about the grades, or the clerkships, but the friends you make along the way.
Our final verdict: it wasn’t quite as outstanding as Capping, but didn't have any real stinkers. It was consistently high quality, and a damn enjoyable show.
And with that, the last of the classic three student revues has concluded for 2026. Consider giving them a go next time around if you haven't already. Law and Med revues aren't super incomprehensible to those who didn't choose those insane degrees. They're more like department-specific standup. A labour of love – that's what each revue is. And with the final bow, you can see it. Everytime.
