Blanket Fort

Improvised shows are always an exciting watch, no-one knows exactly what to expect. Blanket Fort didn't disappoint and, whilst there were plenty of awkward moments, they were overpowered by more hilarious skits that had the audience laughing away at the wit of the cast and occasionally at the sight of a grown man pretending to be a fourteen-year-old girl.

this is certainly a company that has the potential to have a great show on their hands

Blanket Fort consists of four actors who improvise scenes based on a random words shouted out by the audience. The show kicked off with the random word ‘caterpillar’ and an extended skit ensued which hilariously evolved into an unappreciated mother swapping her son with the neighbours boy as he showed the slightest bit of affection towards her. Immediately the quirkiness of cast member Jenny Harfek shone as she found a way to find the humour in any situation. The structure of the second half of the show wasn’t explained as clearly as the first, a game was being played and we didn't know the rules, however the comedy troupe seemed more in their element here, being given the freedom to explore a variety of scenes and situations with numerous characters. A particular highlight was a scene involving the propositioning of a couple into a threesome through the painting of a very generous nude portrait of them both.

The great thing about an improvised comedy show such as Blanket Fort is that the actors can measure their success through the audience's reaction; plenty of laughter - they're doing something right, prolonged silence - they should probably start making something else up. This troupe experienced their fair share of silence as a few scenes never quite gained traction and occasionally they played too much on a joke which was getting no response from the audience. Yet, they would enthusiastically bounce back from dull moments into new scenes which would have the audiences laughing away again. You definitely couldn't fault their energy.

All in all, Blanket Fort was a very entertaining show. The eager cast jumped into scenes with charisma and provided plenty of laughs. They fought through any silence from the audience and always ensured there was something to crack up about at the end of a skit. This is certainly a company that has the potential to have a great show on their hands.