The Barraclough Brothers

The Barraclough Brothers were a comedy act from 2019 who are most famous for their TV show, "The Barraclough Brothers" produced by Home Media. They consisted of 3 related gentlemen who specialized in comedy ranging from visual to slapstick to inside humor. Stagg Chile aided them in their comedic shows throughout their 3 years of activity. Nick Barraclough and Kaos Barraclough teamed up as a duo in 2015 to film the pilot, and continued to bring comedy together after the act broke up. Edward Barraclough, the youngest brother, joined in 2019 when Nick launched the show. Stagg Chile was a character who was a prominent role throughout the only season, providing lots of chaotic humor.

Prior to emerging as an act, the 3 siblings lived together under the same roof since 2011. They would constantly get into antics and comedic moments that were quite vaudeville-esque and would otherwise belong on film. Once they got their act together and were underway, the team produced 20 episodes on television (each one ranging from 3 seconds to 3 minutes) and 1 pilot episode and 12 routines in the 3 years they were active. Their TV show (which contained all their material) was remastered in 2020 with bonus content (see below). The release is the definitive collection for everybody.

The Cast
All 3 brothers are the offspring of parents Anna and Joe Barraclough.


 * Nick Barraclough- The ringleader and lunatic of the act, Nick is most famous for his "great ideas" and is an enterprising man, who manages to come up with multiple different ideas and plans. He spent the 2010s working his way through reenactments and spoofs on popular shows such as Star Wars or Star Trek, but also sitcoms such as The Big Bang Theory. He likes old sitcoms the most, and appreciates the olden days a lot. Nick lived the pandemic days in isolation after a turbulent time crunch to complete projects before lockdown. His pandemic days were spent scheming new plans for post-pandemic life and recently Nick came out with a new show, "Wild Nature", which he launched in July 2021. The show ran for two seasons. Nick saw the pandemic as a "time for rethinking life" and he decided that comedy, reenactments and writing, his pre-pandemic trademark talents, were not his thing, so he went on to a "nature theme" in which he employed himself later on.


 * Kaos Barraclough- The silent straight man of the act. Born Samuel Kramer Barraclough, but most famous for his TV and media pseudonym, Kaos Barraclough. Kaos is most famous for his multiple personalities and endeavors. His trademark silent acting and sounds make him famous. Kaos has lived a wild life so far, settling into his summer getaway place in Edmonton Alberta, just south of his birth place, Grande Prairie. Kaos was a singer in 2019, during his "Beatles Phase" and he carried on that into early 2020. Kaos married farmer, Luna Pahud in late August 2019 after a 3-year courtship. They had to separate due to COVID, but reunited in 2021.


 * Edward Barraclough- The middleman. The third and youngest brother of the group, Edward Barraclough joined and became a unique and witty player in the enterprise. Edward did not appear on the internet until as late at 2011, when he gave up on running form the populating media. Edward is Nick's right hand and accompanies him almost everywhere. Edward is a quiet man, only speaking with his trademark "fat voice" rarely and enjoying a small cup of tea. Edward has since the pandemic tried to disappear from the radar, but his connections to Nick and Kaos make it difficult. Edward is currently working on his new TV sitcom, "Fats an Fats and Fats" on ABC, which is based on the 1980s.


 * Stagg Chile- A famous TV personality, Stagg Chile is the "unofficial 4th brother" and appeared rarely in episodes, but nevertheless made a big impact. Stagg is most famous for his infamous routine, "Not That One!" in which he devised it in 2014. Stagg only appeared on the internet as late as 2012, when he launched his live stage act in Boston. Stagg appeared on NBC shows and commercials regularly into the 2020s until his fatal motorcycle accident in 2026. Stagg is cremated and his ashes spread on Niagara Falls, where he requested in his will. Kaos was devastated by the loss of his pal, only muttering "Stagg, Stagg" for a month.



2015
Nick was really into magic tricks, such as pranks and disappearances, so he filmed one, and Kaos happened to be in the lens, providing some hilarity in his actions, chewing on his teether. Nick thought the pilot was good, so he submitted it to the yet-unknown Home Media company, but it was in a terrible quality, with no sound and terrible video. It was shelved.

2019
Home Media gave Nick the green light in March 2019, so Nick launched his show on April 15, 2019 with the first episode, yet another magic trick. It was funny, but he considered it a failure, so he tried to re-do it in episode 2 but to no avail. Kaos took over writing when he heard of a really funny comedian known as, "Stagg Chile". He said he admired Stagg's craziness and punch lines. Stagg made his debut in episode 3, where he did his basic material, making for a riotously fun time. He was such a hit he returned in episode 4 when he divided cans up between Kaos, Edward and himself. Stagg's namesake is from popular canned bean brand, "Stagg Chile". Stagg Chile would return in episode 8, where he ddi his most infamous routine, "Not That One!"

With Stagg Chile booked for solitary engagements, Nick wrote episode 5, when he read from a bible, which sparked minor controversy in the crowds. The episodes were aired as soon as they were shot, making for random dates. Some episodes not everyone appeared in. Edward makes no appearance in episode 6, where it picks off from a deleted episode filmed one night but was accidentally destroyed. (this one was remade in 2020). Some episodes were only 2 seconds long, such as episodes 7 and 9, which show cameras being set up, or episode 11 which shows Nick jumping on a couch.

With only 8 or so more episodes left in their 20-episode commitment, Nick winded down the season with a two-part behind the scenes feature, in which he reveals what certain views look like and surprises. Stagg Chile made his final appearance in the 15th episode, the last one aired in 2019. He made the appearance because it was believed to be the last.

2020
After 8 months away, Nick resurrected the show with 5 more episodes in 2020, hoping to make a comeback. These last episodes lacked in popularity, killing any chance of the show being renewed for season 2. The final episodes showcased the last memories of the 3 brothers. In them, they remade lost episodes (Magic Coaster), interviewed new people (snobby ocean spray), and said goodbye. The show ended on March 17, 2020 after 11 months on air. The finale was one of the worst, as it only showed ugly, forgetful footage of a very unhappy act. It was nothing like the planned finale, which is,

"Note: the planned finale was that Nick, Kaos and Edward would sit around on their normal chairs in the yard on a beautiful summer day. They would say goodbye then clear the chairs. Then Nick would kick a soccer ball and hit Edward in the face. Kaos is jumping up and down, hyper. An on-location finale."

The trio also planned to film an Easter Holiday Special, as April was just around the corner. Edward would have dressed up as the bunny.

Legacy
The brothers left "And indelible mark on comedy for decades to come" - Rowan Atkinson, Mr. Bean. They were influential and iconic, as the "Most recent representation of vaudeville artists" - NY Times. Multiple comedy artists have acknowledged their comedy as being one of the greatest. An artist drew a caricature of all three of them in promotional art for the Complete Series. Nick, Kaos, Edward and Stagg Chile have certainly done an outstanding job on comedy.

Style of Comedy
The humor used by the brothers is rather high in visuality, as they all contribute some form of visual humor. Kaos walks in front of the camera, Nick pitches the plot lines, Edward sits around like a sack of potatoes and Stagg Chile is over chaotic. Slapstick was not an outstanding genre to their humor, as they never got seriously hurt. The closest any of their films came to slapstick was when Nick would harass props, or Stagg Chile smacking cups around. Much of their comedy involves simple plot lines turned outrageous by their humorous decisions. A simple hymn from the bible might sound humorously out of tune, or a magic trick might go wrong.

Nick was the centerpiece, the puppeteer of the group. His mind controlled the plot lines and resolutions. His body measures were about average, and he is most notable for his loud, plaid shirts he wore. His older brother, Kaos, is best known for his flowing dark hair and light grin. Edward was obese. He had trouble moving to the slapstick 'rhythm' of the team and he provided wit, in the form of swears and heckles.

One of their most notable routines took place when they tried to do a magic disappearing trick throughout several episodes. Their failures were quickly covered up by humorous dancing or visual humor. (from Kaos). Other variations of this routine would crop up in off-the-top second-long bites. Sometimes, their comedy would lack in any chaos, so they would resort to sound effects. Nick's praising of Kaos would be overdubbed by kissing effects and Edward's 'squeal' from a special octave from Nick's vocal chords. off-screen, Kaos was much more lazy than he appeared, and Edward more quiet.

Recurring Themes

 * The Green Mat was an ongoing gag that appeared as the iconic background on their episodes. It was a foam-stuffed plastic bought cheap, and its colors were mixed as forest green and lime green. The earliest episodes saw it lying on the ground, as a proper mat, but the hiatus of the show familiarized it as the background. The mat was taken down in the two-part episode, when Nick wanted to reveal what lay behind it. The mat never appeared in 2020, it was reportedly trashed.


 * "Catch-routines" were a definitive part of the act. such routines ranged from "Stagg Chile" to "Bible" but all 12 of them made a difference. No other act could recreate them, because the brothers were the only ones to make it funny. "Not That One" was created by Stagg Chile and dates back to 2018, when he was short of routines on an engagement. Stagg adopted his character when Kaos was visiting him. Stagg reportedly said, "That's it!"
 * The Cooler was an iconic piece of furniture, appearing in almost every single episode. It would sometimes act as a mystery box, holding interesting items, but would mostly act as a desk, holding cups and being the significant foreground. The cooler was reportedly very valuable, as Kaos, after the show ended, estimated its value at $7500.00.

Point of Wrongdoing
The Brothers were pointed out that Stagg Chile was making fun of Disabled People in October of 2021. Stagg Chile apologized a few days later.

Final Break-Up
The brothers split at the end of June 2019, on a break. They managed to reunite in 2020 at the end of February for 'one last hurrah'. After making big plans for their new gig, they were devastated by the fact that their best camera was failing. Episodes that would otherwise be 5 minutes ended up being 1 minute. Unable to surpass this set back, Nick announced he was 'breaking up' and left. Kaos followed, as he was loyal to his brother. Edward was the only one left after Stagg shrugged off the split and went back home to America. Edward reportedly attempted to keep the dream alive, but abandoned his mission and gave up. A couple months later, everyone (except Stagg) got back together to release the Complete Series. Any requests to film more content were denied, and at one point, Kaos left the studio to prevent it. The imminent COVID-19 Pandemic had been underway, therefore it was best to 'let it go'.

The brothers weren't broken up personally, they were still living under the same roof and privately performing comedy. They denied 7 requests for a reboot and sued 2 paparazzi for stealing footage of their acts. Nick denied a reunion in March 2021. After so much time apart, they lost their comedic rhythm, and had multiple failures as recreating their material.

Influences
Nick Barraclough cited The Three Stooges as a major influence, as well as Abbott and Costello. He stated that the stooges he tried to base the brothers off the most, and a/c was a great kickstart to his wit. Kaos cited Rowan Atkinson as Mr. Bean and Stan Laurel and his major silent film influences, as he specialized in that field. Edward stated he admired Jerry Lewis, but never reenacted him. He also saw something unique in Jerry Seinfeld. Stagg Chile's punch line is cited as a spoof on Lou Costello's line, "Heeeeeeeeey Abbott!".[7]

Modern comedians today see the brothers as a major influence on surpassing certain comedy film restrictions. The brothers worked on their own schedule and setting.

Home Media
The Barraclough Brothers TV series is available on DVD in region 1. It was released on June 22, 2020 and is the most complete collection out there.

Features:


 * Restored Pilot
 * Anecdote from parents
 * All 20 episodes, remastered
 * QR Code to website
 * Authentic signatures

Aftermath (2021-)
Much of the studio was sold when it was dismantled in April 2020. The cooler was put into storage, and the props sold at auction or destroyed. The brothers have to date, never revisited the set. The amazing iconography of those props and the furniture is palpable. Fans of the show, who watched it since day one will never forget them. American comedian Jerry Seinfeld is said that he claimed one of the props, but it is unconfirmed. Having lost their comedic rhythm and ability to make people laugh, they rarely tried to recreate funny moments or remember the show. To date, they are still attempting to rejuvenate their style of comedy for future generations and future acknowledgement of their great contribution. Nick stated, "It's hard. Comedy is a very difficult thing to make. I think we did it only by accident. That is the only solution."

Props

 * Red Cups- Were destroyed and recycled. [1]
 * Bible- Auctioned off at $7500.00, but whereabouts unknown. [2]
 * Cooler- Donated to unnamed museum/archive. [3]
 * Chairs- Whereabouts unknown
 * Green Mat- Reportedly destroyed. [4]

Memorials

 * Complete Series Comic- An artist drew caricatures of all 3 of the brothers to promote the release of the complete series in the summer of 2020.