Showstoppers!, with its unbelievable ensemble and West End-quality singingis silly, funny and a little bit naughty; it really has it all.
It is obvious from the start that their reputation is entirely warranted. Prompted by audience suggestions – in this case, a musical called A to Zika set in the Olympic Athletes’ Village in Rio – we are transported on a journey of passion and humour, of jealousy and desire. The plot tonight revolves around the athletes of that well-known Olympic discipline, Mixed Doubles Running (basically a three-legged race). Songs drew from a variety of suggested musicals, from High School Musical to Les Misérables. Somehow, the improvisers manage to virtuosically weave the absurd audience suggestions into a perfectly coherent and incredibly entertaining narrative, finishing with the heart-warming new classic performed by the runners, “I will literally be beside you every step of the way”. They pass through a variety of musical numbers, echoing other well-known and loved musicals, before concluding in a heart-warming and hilarious manner. Full of pithy one-liners and taglines that will remain in the audience’s mind long after the lights have gone out, there is no doubt that they have every right to their claim as the top musical improvisers in the business.
You have to see this show. It’s not just a passing fad; Showstoppers! is compulsory Fringe viewing. Just book in time, because it is sure to be a sell-out performance once the five star reviews start flooding in. Every single person on this cast deserves to be there sharing in the Olympian glory of Showstoppers!: these are the most versatile and adept improvisers out there, and the live improvised band are also a force to be reckoned with. The audience were constantly immersed in the drama, and everything they suggested was brought out in the plot.
Showstoppers!, with its unbelievable ensemble and West End-quality singingis silly, funny and a little bit naughty; it really has it all.
