A remarkably intricate and engaging murder mystery is created from scratch every night. Based completely on the audience’s suggestions, the incredibly sharp company spin out the intrigue over an hour with wit and skill: it’s a great concept, and it works.
A unique and original offering to improv comedy at the Fringe from an incredibly talented cast
The actors are like living, breathing Cluedo counters. Each has their own colour, and a corresponding name. It’s up to the audience to move the pieces. A member of the audience is recruited to play the Watson-like figure Jerkins, and, with the help of those sitting around him, comes up with a setting and a title for the mystery to follow. Lucky-dip style, a murderer and victim are secretly chosen, and we’re away.
The set-up is clever, and the cast seize the suggestions with gusto. The setting and the title form the fundamental basis the action, and the actors absorb them completely. It’s slightly different to some improv shows in that, once the variables are set, the audience have little opportunity for input, so it’s missing the thrill that comes from seeing the cast deal with a new challenge presented to them part way through - but what this does do is allow for the story to become impressively complex. And the cast are brilliant at keeping things exciting, cheekily throwing in subplots and twists to keep each other on their toes.
The actors seem completely at ease with what they have to do. There is not a weak link - they are without exception hilarious (on the night I attended, particular credit goes to Lady Violet and her filthy sense of humour). Each contributes distinctively to the material, and it’s great fun to see the plot and characters solidify scene by scene, as they pick up each others’ cues - and clues - to keep the action twisting and turning.
A unique and original offering to improv comedy at the Fringe from an incredibly talented cast. A hugely enjoyable hour.
