Meet Jill and Lill: The Comedy Duo rewriting the rules of Irish screens

Extra.ie​

5 hours ago

If you haven't yet met Jill and Lill, odds are the internet already has.
The brilliantly chaotic teenage duo, perfectly portrayed by Irish comedy talents Claire Gleeson and Karen Kelly, have been racking up thousands of laughs (and views) since first stumbling onto our screens.
Their misadventures are equal parts absurd and oddly relatable, the kind of 'how did we get here?' comedy that sneaks up on you and refuses to let go. If you haven't yet met Jill and Lill, odds are the internet already has.
What started as a scrappy web series with a knack for going viral has grown into a bona fide festival darling.
Jill and Lill has scooped up awards across the country, from Best Irish Web Series and Best Editing at the Dublin International Comedy Film Festival to Best Picture and acting gongs at the Firehouse Film Contest. Not to mention a feature on LA comedy giant Funny or Die — not bad for two Irish gals and their knack for mischief.
Now, Gleeson and Kelly are stepping into living rooms across the country, and we couldn't be more excited. The brilliantly chaotic teenage duo, perfectly portrayed by Irish comedy talents Claire Gleeson and Karen Kelly, have been racking up thousands of laughs (and views) since first stumbling onto our screens.
Their latest short, Jill and Lill Do Knick Knacks — a delightfully dark caper that begins with a harmless prank and ends in, well, manslaughter — is making its television debut tonight on RTÉ2's Short Screen slot. Mischief has never looked so polished.
Extra.ie caught up with Claire and Karen, quickly dubbed the 'Female Young Offenders' for their razor-sharp banter and lovable delinquent energy, to chat about what it means to make comedy in Ireland right now.
Between laughs, the duo spoke about carving out their own lane in a scene that's still finding its feet, and the small but mighty crew that has helped Jill and Lill punch far above its weight.
From long nights in the edit suite to friends doubling as extras, it's a testament to the dedicated team behind the chaos that the series has resonated so widely.
'When we initially filmed the first sketch we had no intention of making any more,' Karen divulged. 'As we began to film more and more sketches myself and
Claire filled out all the missing pieces for these girls. There was an ongoing conversation about their back stories, relationships to their parents, favourite colours, dress sense and of course their signature hair styles.'
Claire and Karen are quick to credit writer, director and editor Keith Jordan, who not only shaped the world of Jill and Lill but also gave them free rein to push the characters into their most outrageous and funniest territory. Their misadventures are equal parts absurd and oddly relatable, the kind of 'how did we get here?' comedy that sneaks up on you and refuses to let go.
'Keith knows how to write to our strengths, and similarly we have a short hand on set and know how Keith will edit the shots together, we understand the rhythm of the lines Keith writes. It is very much a collaborative project,' Karen added.
Jill and Lill feel refreshingly real; messy, mischievous, and gloriously unpolished and a welcome departure from the stereotypes of young women that so often dominate Irish screens.
'I think Jill and Lill reminds us of the terrifying and disastrous nature of our own teenage-hood,' Claire laughed. 'Back before mobiles filled every bored moment and the mind was 'a playground open all hours' as Jill says. It's the kind of viewing that highlights the core moments of adolescence that are interchangeable throughout different generations.'
'I love being a part of projects that challenge the status quo and Jill and Lill couldn't be more different to anything else on the Irish market at the moment. Keith's writing jumps off the page moving like a runaway freight train and always has me laughing out loud from the first read. We have been playing these characters for a while now and what we have come to learn is there is a definite audience for it. Comedy is so desperately needed in today's world,' she continued.
'Jill and Lill is an absolutely wild ride and is truly unpredictable. Amongst the wonderful nuanced drama Ireland boasts, it offers something completely unique in the comedy market.'
What began as a grassroots operation with a ragtag crew is now holding its own on Irish television, and the girls couldn't be happier.
Karen explained: 'We have a great group of people involved that are really passionate about filmmaking but to be honest, the best thing about filming these sketches is that we all get to hang out as friends.
'Collaboration is the cornerstone of how we work and everyone's voice on the team is valued. Keith is always open to us trying things in character which is such a joy for an actor,' Claire mused, following on from Karen's point.
You can catch 'JILL AND LILL DO KICK KNACKS' on RTÉ2 at 11.45pm as part of their Short Screen Programme.