Theatre Company Waiting For The Call wasted no time in making us feel included within the show. Every member of the audience was handed a slip of paper upon entry asking for the name of the last film they saw and a synopsis of it in one paragraph; the one that was then chosen from a bucket was
an avalanche in the Alps, a gay wedding and one very bitter café owner...
However, in order to give them time to get their brains in gear for what would be a taking hour-long exercise of thinking on their feet, Notflix had their audience warmed up by host Katie Pritchard. Her sweet self-deprecation with regard to her size completely contradicted her bold efforts at getting a laugh from the crowd. Skillfully imitating inanimate objects through music – a sink with the backing of Kate Bush’s Wuthering Heights surprisingly being a particular triumph – along with a Beyonce-esque song about lettuce and the audience were well on their way for a taste of what the evening had to offer.
When the keyboard player accompanying the female quintet randomly decided to play a tune the actors had to cut their dialogue in order to then burst into song, which they did effortlessly throughout. Their understanding of one another was clearly shown through their ability to get on each other’s wavelengths. Hence, an avalanche in the Alps, a gay wedding and one very bitter café owner later, the show’s variety of scenes mirrored the versatility of its cast.
For a lively and entertaining night of improvisational comedy to perk up the routine of the week, hurry along to see the girls in action. Though a different performance every time, the quality of their opening night leaves me in no doubt that the rest of their shows will not leave you disappointed.
