Showstopper! Archives - North West End UK

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical – Cambridge Theatre

13Oct

By Charlotte MansfieldNo Comments

London

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical – Cambridge Theatre

Olivier-award-winning improv group, Showstopper! The Improvised Musical, are back at London's Cambridge Theatre performing their long-form improv. As their name suggests, they improvise a West End musical, based on suggestions from the audience. The company has a large amount of talented performers to draw on, but each show typically consists of around six actors, with another company member taking the role of director, whose job it is to gather suggestions from the audience and introduce them at various points to either move the action forward or make the actors look as ridiculous as possible. Co-creator of 'Showstopper!', Dylan Emery, was the director for last night's show, opening the action with a call from a producer in need of a new musical. Not to worry, he has a writer's room (t...

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical – Hull Truck Theatre

I set off for Hull Truck Theatre, on Friday evening, knowing my worst nightmare - audience participation - is probably about to come true. Showstopper! The Improvised Musical invites audience members to create a musical comedy by shouting out their suggestions - suggestions the cast will endeavour to act out. My seat on the front row meant there was no hiding place. So, I determined not to make eye contact with anyone on the stage; keep my head down, be invisible and leave the suggestion-making to anybody - just not me. Billed as a “must-see”, this improvised comedy came to Hull Truck for one night only, as part of a nationwide tour (visit www.showstopperthemusical.com for future venues). Well, dear reader, my “keeping schtum” resolution lasted approximately 30 seconds - that’s...

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical – Garrick Theatre

As the theatres gradually re-open, audiences are like kids in a toy shop, wide-eyed, rushing around not sure what to see first. Well it's a no-brainer. Book tickets for Showstopper! It sounds absolutely crazy - a musical improvised on the fly with suggestions of setting, musical styles and show title provided by the audience - but it has been running to incredible and well-deserved success since 2008. After a long stint at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the show had two West End runs and a series on BBC Radio 4. And along the way they picked up an Olivier award. It's funny, clever, interactive and unique, each night becoming a completely different show full of references to styles the audience can recognise. A bit of Shakespeare here, a Hamilton-esque sequence there, an homage to ...