Taxi Tales – Liverpool Improvisation Festival – Unity Theatre

Wing It Impro and their ensemble team improvise ‘Taxi Tales’, conceived and directed by Mark Smith, inspired by Raymond Carver’s short stories, and Robert Altman’s movie ‘Short Cuts’.  We have all been in the back of a taxi on a night out and discussed all manner of things, or even forgotten where we are staying, and the driver drives around until you can remember (that is one of my memories from back in the day!).  The team at Wing It Impro have this improvised show off to a fine art, as they examine the premise that anyone can climb into your cab, at any point of their life with their own tale to tell – ‘One Night On The Town’.

Simple staging of chairs with the improvisers facing towards the back of the stage waiting for their turn to either drive the cab or to be a passenger.  First up is Car 57, and we learn from the driver that he is having a bit of a problem with one of his eyes, so he can only take right turns…!  This driver is very slow on the uptake, confusing his passengers with misunderstandings.  But it is very funny, and this initial cab driver sets the standard for the others, and they do not disappoint. 

The taxi controller acts as a goader, calling the scenes with the suggestion of who the passenger is, why they are calling a cab, and which cab is going out, when the cab number changes a new improviser steps in which prevents the cycle from becoming stale.  There are lots of references to local places which works well, as the local audience will understand the humour.  There is also a story that develops between two cab drivers who do not realise that they have been working on opposite shifts for years and share the same child who is now thirty years old and getting married! 

In devising a storyline that surprisingly connects through until the end, they keep the audience invested in continuing to follow the narrative, even though it is haphazardly weaved into the individual cab rides, the surprising extra details hold their attention, in between the laughter, of course!

The show is imaginative and fun to watch.  The spontaneity means that it keeps the audience guessing, which can only be a good thing in improvised performance.

Even though the festival is over, you will be able to find out further details of upcoming shows, previews, reviews, and about the companies involved in the festival by going to – https://www.liverpoolimprovfestival.com/

Reviewer: Caroline Worswick

Reviewed: 26^th April 2025

North West End UK Rating: