The Improv Musical: A Spur of the Moment Riot

Improvisation is something that strikes fear into the hearts of so many actors. If, as Shakespeare said, ‘the play’s the thing’ then where is the damn script?! So to combine this already tricky medium with an art form that requires the seamless synchronisation of wit, rhythm, choreography and live music would be a frankly ridiculous idea.

Yet Musical Theatre Warwick have done just that. And it’s an absolute treat. A relentless schedule adapting to bonkers audience suggestions has earnt them annual Fringe slots and a growing fanbase on and off campus. Watching the mayhem unfold, it’s easy to see why.

On this occasion, members of the audience present the six-strong cast with a prompt– Disneyland Wales– and two characters– RuPaul and Love Island’s Curtis Pritchard. What on Earth was I getting myself in for? The beauty of improv though is that there are no expectations and, with a supportive audience by their side, we see actors who don’t feel under pressure to deliver a certain kind of performance.

This is not, however, to say that the cast aren’t supremely talented. Maddy Wilding, taking on the role of Pritchard, acts as a strong nasally anchor. She’s a safe stage presence who encapsulates the humour and charm of the genre whilst never detracting from the other performers. Amelia Sparks is often thrust out in front of the others to showcase her vocal range as an evil Welsh Disney executive. Meanwhile, James McClean and Sam Shores are having the time of their lives, imitating a struggling costume actor and his pretentious French mentor respectively.

A relentless schedule adapting to bonkers audience suggestions has earnt them annual Fringe slots and a growing fanbase on and off campus.

It’s pretty much non-stop hilarious. There are occasional moments when the illusion of spontaneity is broken and we can see the performers stalling for time as they try to think up lyrics. Admittedly, some of the dialogue went on a little longer than it could have as actors got carried away with ad libs. Once we do get into the songs however, they are more than accomplished.

At the centre of this is the live band. They often dictate the genre and feel of a song, giving the actors their first moments of inspiration. Hearing a song gradually meld together instrument by instrument, verse by verse, is probably the most exciting element of the show. Generally, it’s an original tune, with the one blip coming when the band are given an audience prompt for a Britpop-style song, only to use the cop-out of the ‘Wonderwall’ riff. It’s fantastic to see the musical numbers grow though, and there’s evident delight in the cast members eyes as they latch onto chorus lines and devise harmonies. In this case, seeing their inner workings is no bad thing; it helps the audience fully buy into the relatively alien concept of building a musical from scratch.

There were a couple of issues with lighting, but this only served as new material for the cast, who used them as an excuse to make Disney-related ‘budget cut’ jokes. To be as quick-witted as these performers are and still have energy left to bring the house down with stunning vocals is utterly remarkable.

Overall, you’d have to be a spineless corporate executive like Sparks’ character to not laugh along with this joyous ensemble. This is one of those rare moments when theatre becomes not only a form of escapism, but a space for real togetherness, community and shared silliness. And God knows we could do with more of that.

★★★★

The Improv Musical is playing at the Camden Fringe Festival from the 9th to 15th August.