Performed without a script and built entirely on audience suggestion, Totally Improvised Musical at the King’s Arms in Salford delivered an inventive and riotously funny 45-minute whirlwind of spontaneous storytelling, songs, and surreal humour.
The night’s improvised show—brilliantly titled Greggs: The Great Takedown—centred around a dystopian northern England where the beloved high street bakery chain had collapsed, leaving the nation starved of sausage rolls, steak bakes, and purpose. What unfolded was a musical odyssey of longing, resistance, and puff pastry politics.
Original numbers like the haunting The North Is Barren and the stirring anthem The Heart of England showcased the cast’s quick wit and vocal chops. Each song, conjured on the spot, was surprisingly tuneful, cleverly rhymed (sometimes), and underscored by confident live accompaniment that added real musical depth to the madness.
The performers fully committed to their characters and scenes, letting them breathe just long enough before pivoting to the next ridiculous twist. One or two scenes did feel like they’d run their course a little too long – the scene about potatoes springs to mind. While I appreciate no improv is going to be perfect, knowing when to cut scenes when they’ve run out of steam is critical.
The cast’s energy and trust in one another were palpable, and even when a scene teetered on the edge of collapse—as improvised theatre often does—they somehow steered it into laughter.
The Totally Improvised Musical was a delightfully daft reminder that theatre doesn’t need sets, scripts, or sausage rolls to satisfy. All it takes is imagination, courage, and the willingness to sing your heart out about a world without pasties.
The Totally Improvised Musical is part of the Greater Manchester Improv Festival, which is running at The King’s Arms in Salford until 8th June. There are many performances and workshops taking place over the weekend. For more information, please visit https://www.comedysportz.co.uk/greater-manchester-improv-festival/
Reviewer: Brian Madden
Reviewed: 6th June 2025
North West End UK Rating: