In Showstopper! The Improvised Musical a talented cast improvise a completely new musical from scratch every night, based on audience suggestions.
Adam Meggio tells Entertainment Now how the show, which is the only Improv show ever to win an Olivier Award, became such a hit and why the cast love coming to the Fringe every year.
Tell us about your show. Why should we go and see it?
Showstopper! The Improvised Musical is very funny, very edgy, and completely different every night. A staple of the Fringe since 2008, our audience has grown from a 90-seat portacabin to the 750-seat Pleasance Grand. What a journey! In the show we deliver everything you could possibly want from a musical – songs, dance routines, sweeping storylines, characters you care about, jazz hands and plenty of pizazz… But everything is completely improvised live in the moment. Nothing is written or prepared in advance and we don’t use stooges or audience plants. It is genuinely 100% improvised from audience suggestions. People who love musical theatre love the show because its an homage to the art, but we find that people who don’t like musicals love the show too because they get to see a musical being deconstructed. It’s very entertaining. The company are amazingly talented and have been working together for so many years that they sometimes appear to be telepathic. And to this day it is the only improv show in the world to win an Olivier Award. A good time is guaranteed!
What is your favourite thing about your show?
It’s different every night. Like a TARDIS, we can go anywhere in time and space. Who knows what the audience will throw at us for each show? I also love that we won’t take just any old suggestion from the audience, we encourage the audience to dream big and come create wonder with us. It’s not pub improv – it’s a show, a full-on showbiz juggernaut. I also love the people. The showstoppers are truly amazing. It’s a privilege to work with them all.
Do you have a Fringe idol?
I always enjoyed Derevo – the Russian dance/clown troupe – and rarely miss their shows. Last year I loved Assembly Hall which sounds like a venue but was actually the name of a show about the AGM of a historical re-enactment society!
What three words best describe your performance style – and why?
Wily uptight clown.
Why? Ahhh you’ll have to come and see…
Who are you looking forward to seeing in Edinburgh?
I always love seeing Nina Conti. And fellow showstopper Susan Harrison has her own solo show this year as well.
What do you hope to achieve in Edinburgh – what are your hopes and dreams?
We’ve achieved it! We play one of the largest venues in the city and regularly sell out. The dream is to keep that going. We don’t get complacent. We regroup every July to practice the show and work on our skills to improve ourselves as individuals and as a team. We have new members to train and to learn from. We always want to deliver the best night out possible. That’s the ongoing dream.
What are the biggest obstacles you face as a performer at the Fringe?
The rising costs. It’s heartbreaking to see so many performers and artists being priced out of the Fringe. The accommodation costs must come down. I hope the city and the Fringe can address this urgently, otherwise it will become a festival for the rich which goes completely against the great spirit the Fringe has always championed.
What do you hope the audience will take away after an hour in your company?
A spring in their step and a huge smile.
How do you plan to relax and recharge when not on stage?
I’m a quiet person. I’ll get out of town to see nature. I’ll spend time in the apartment writing. I love writing. I just finished my second novel. I’m working on some plays and musicals too. It’s a great joy and I find I am a happier person if I write every day.
What is your idea of a perfect Fringe day?
Great breakfast somewhere in Leith. Then back to the apartment to do some writing. Then a Showtopper show. Then dinner. (I have my eye on a bunch of new restaurants this year. Edinburgh has so many great places to eat!)
Showstopper! The Improvised Musical, 17.20, Pleasance Grand, until August 24
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/showstopper-the-improvised-musical
