The second show of the evening for me was Improv on Demand, another short-form game-based show, using various television show formats as a vehicle for classic games. This was a really fun take on classic games, many of which played on nostalgia to their success.
We were led through the games by the captivating hosting of James Monaghan who kept the show’s pace, gathered ideas from the audience, and added in dry wit and humour between each game. He really was a very likeable and watchable host.
Many of the shows were based on familiar games, interspersed by theme music (thanks to Kath Marvelle on tech), and with a well-thought-out TV twist. For example, the Alphabet Game (where each sentence had to start with the next letter of the alphabet) being the game for Sesame Street, teaching children how to cross the road. A lot of the comedy came from Jen Waller Bagnall calling Dan Marshall out on his terrible knowledge of the alphabet.
Another great example was the Archers, with a member of the audience controlling the sound effects and Tom Thursfield and Rosie Lampard having to do their scene using the sound effects as guidance. This was really well done and even having no real knowledge of the Archers I laughed a lot.
One of the best games was the generic “soap”. The players were given different locations for their scenes, including the jungle (which some people would have rather had stayed as a dog park), the morgue, an underwater base and of course, the pub. There were cases of mistaken identity, clever callbacks and just general chaos – it looked as though the improvisers were having just as much fun (and were just as confused) as we were. Mike Molnar was a real stand out for characterisation in this game particularly.
Strictly Call of Duty – where a bent copper and his representation, were being interviewed by two other members of the police force but could only speak when dancing, was a whole lot of fun. Kath even ventured down from the tech desk to join in. It’s clear that the improvisers knowledge of ballroom dancing was a little rusty but what they lacked in technicality they made up for in enthusiasm and the breakdancing section made me laugh so hard I nearly cried.
Blind Date is an improv classic, and special mention should go to the tardigrade (Rosie Lampard) and her very clever clues, and Alex Handby’s character, who collected lollipops and who was pretty damn creepy. However there were some slower moments in this game that didn’t feel quite as polished or confident as the rest of the show. News Night was also a weak spot in an otherwise brilliant show, as it ended in some chaotic and random deaths which brought everything to a screaming halt a little suddenly.
Overall I’d say that this is absolutely a show I would love to see again – and the joy of improv is that would be totally different! The troupe are a fun mix of styles and characters that are kept together by James.
Reviewer: Codie Wright
Reviewed: 6th June 2025
North West End UK Rating: 4