Review: Impromptu Shakespeare (Bosco Theatre, Ventnor Fringe)

When I saw Impromptu Shakespeare on the schedule for Ventnor Fringe it was one of the shows that jumped out at me, having enjoyed other improvised shows in the past.

This show took place in the beautiful and fittingly, historical Bosco Theatre. This was the perfect space for an improv show which begins with the audience being invited to throw ping pong balls (picked from a bag on the way in) onto the stage, by way of selecting the characters and plot points for the story that was to be created.  In fact, the goal was to aim for the breeches of one of the cast members, which was a chaotically entertaining way to go about this process.  Music was playing as well which made it even more amusing.  (You can see a small clip of this on my Instagram post about the show here.)  After this brief interaction, there was little in the way of audience participation, and the show unfolded in front of us, created on the spot using the prompts selected.

This beginning set the scene for the show, as the humour continued throughout. Firstly, with how the cast distributed the roles as they went along, (if you have a skirt on your character at that moment is female) and secondly through the plot they created on the spot. Recurring jokes about forgetting the names of siblings were memorable for the fact they remind you that the show is being created in front of your eyes.

Our cast was made up of Tom Tokley, Jules Munns, Octavia Gilmore, Sylvia Bishop and Rosy Fordham. Jules and Sylvia took on the roles of brothers, and the remaining 3 cast members played 3 sisters (and others) and so the show continued with the plot being created as they went along.  The pacing was fantastic and the level of skill with the improvisation was impressive to watch, not least because of the effort made to keep within the Shakespearian style.

There is little benefit in describing the plot as the story will be different with every show by this talented bunch of people, but we had a comedy style play with a bit of death and romance thrown in.  It was a very entertaining way to spend an hour, with as much to admire about the process as well as the finished creation of the show. It is worth noting that the company is made up of 13 improvisers, so you could not only see a brand new story each time, but also an entirely new cast.  The ability of these performers to work with different people as well as improvising and keeping within the style of Shakespeare displays some incredible skills, and at times you forget this is an unrehearsed show.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

You can find out where Impromptu Shakespeare will be next on their website here. If you're going to Camden Fringe, book to see this show here.

I was gifted tickets for this show in exchange for an honest review.

If you would like to see my photographs from this and other shows, please visit my Instagram.