A ‘laser battery’ case, a song about being attracted to sentient machines and a robot called KFC47 standing trial in the 25th century are just a handful of things that you unfortunately will not see at Showstopper! The Improvised Musical. Director Dylan Emery picks members of the audience who are willing to contribute suggestions for the show and within ten minutes you are already invested in a story built purely through the cast’s fantastic chemistry and the audience’s ridiculous ideas.
Comparable in terms of concept to Murder She Didn’t Write, the cast’s ability to not only work with any member’s improvised idea but turn it into a fully fledged musical number is seriously impressive, the songs would not have sounded out of place in a fully scripted musical and you will leave wondering whether it was really improvised. This performance’s lead, Adam Meggido takes on the role of KFC47, a humanoid food dispensing robot accused of one of the 25th century’s worst crimes: laser battery. Despite the ridiculous concept, the cast does a great job of keeping the plot intact and whenever anything went off the rails, Emery would step in to provide small yet effective pieces of direction to get everything back on track. The show makes good use of common musical tropes and provides a real sense of suspense through each actor’s versatility.
There is excellent musicianship on display from the band, whose ability to switch between the styles of Moulin Rouge, Guys & Dolls and Six brought the musical to another level and makes it feel instrumentally polished.
The show is very well crafted and will provide something fresh and original with each new performance. If you enjoy participating in shows, catchy musical pieces and excellent improvisation, Showstopper! The Improvised Musical is a must watch.
Showstopper! The Improvised Musical, 17:20, Grand at Pleasance Courtyard, Aug 5-17, 19-30
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/showstopper-the-improvised-musical
