I cannot go to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival without seeing improvisation, and as I have never seen the Cambridge Impronauts before, I thought I would pop along. The Cambridge Impronauts as a company were formed in 2003 and have been calling the Gilded Balloon home for the last seven years. In their home town of Cambridge, they run open workshops for students and locals, and show off their improv skills in local shows.
Today at the Gilded Balloon, we saw the team using short-form improv in a ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway’ style. For those young ones who are too old to remember this show, there are short scenes improvised after taking suggestions from the studio audience. There is a director setting the scene for the audience, who encourages ideas that will help to build a show. In giving the audience a role to play, it is hoped that they will feel invested in the show as it unfolds.
Comedian Ted Hill opened the show, showing off his techie skills, and then joined in with the improvising fun – incidentally, Hill has his own show, Ted Hill: 110% Normal at Assembly, George Square, go and see it, he is a funny guy. After the audience are nicely warmed up, the improv team begin with a sequence of improvising a film’s sequel, in this case Armageddon. The team are initially given one minute, then thirty seconds, then fifteen, eight, four and two, to says as much about this sequel as they can. They then moved onto a musicals section, using a selection of musicals to create a sketch set in a library, whizzing through Hamilton, Lion King, Grease, The Sound of Music, Shrek and Les Miserable.
There were many other challenges set for the improvisers, in which they picked up the baton and did a fantastic job. If you want an hour of entertainment where you can join in and have fun, then go along to see this group of improvisers do their thing, you will not regret seeing this light-hearted comedic show.
If you would like to book tickets, go to – https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on#q=%22The%20Cambridge%20Impronauts%22. The Cambridge Impronauts are at the Gilded Balloon until the 26th August 2024.
Reviewer: Caroline Worswick
Reviewed: 4th August 2024
North West End UK Rating: