The term “sketch comedy” doesn’t quite encapsulate the event known as “The Victor Continental Show.”

Part choreographed musical, part topical commentary, part puppet show, part mammoth inside joke funny enough to pack Liberty Hall for two nights, “Victor Continental” has turned into one of Lawrence’s most consistent live entertainment spectacles.

“People come as much for the party atmosphere as the actual sketches,” says writer-director Will Averill.

He’s one of the founding members of the show, which began in 1998 and is presenting its 14th “episode” this weekend. He says audiences can expect a new installment of the Justice League of Lawrence. Plus, there will be sketches involving a racy update of the “Harry Potter” books, speed dating with video game characters, robot bears and Davy Crockett.

“We’re also bringing back one of the classical musical bits, ‘Phelps: The Musical,'” he adds.

Averill says most of the material in the nearly three-hour performance is weighted toward local-inspired subjects.

“It’s easy to find those touchstone things that you know are going to get a laugh,” he says. “The difficult thing is making them new again – finding different angles on them and not just doing the same five jokes every year. The opportunities present themselves boundlessly to make fun of the City Commission, but finding that perfect way is a little bit tricky.”

Five people have been with “Victor Continental” since the beginning, including writer-performer Kitty Mitchell.

“We now have a sense of what’s going to work and what isn’t,” Mitchell says. “We spend a lot of time honing the music in the show. We have a new opening number that is just phenomenal.”

She says the show maintains a loyal audience. Yet the feedback she has received from fans over the years tends to be unusual.

“A lot of the phrases I hear for the ‘Victor’ show are positive, and clearly so in the intonation the person uses. But they could be derogatory-sounding otherwise. Like it’s a ‘drunk, pee-your-pants fest.’ How good does that really sound?”

The show continues to be emceed by the titular character of Victor Continental (played by Jerry Mitchell), a martini-swilling gigolo with slicked back hair and pin-striped suit. His surliness is matched only by his libido.

While the show is meticulously scripted, most of Victor’s banter is off the cuff.

In addition to the host, Averill says the other consistent aspect to the production is its larger-than-life setting.

“When we started it was in the old Varsity – which is now Urban Outfitters. Then we moved over to Liberty Hall. Keeping it in a big venue is part of the reason it has done so well. It’s not just this itty-bitty sketch show. It’s this huge, cabaret-style thing,” he says.

In adhering to that spirit, “The Victor Continental Show” organizers have made one more upgrade to this weekend’s opus.

“There’s an extra beer trough so people don’t have to wait in the long bar lines like they used to,” Averill says. “Taking care of the people – that’s us.”