Review: SHOWSTOPPER! - Pleasance Courtyard (13/06/26)

Improv musical group remain as fresh and full of crackpot jollity as ever

-----

One of the longest standing, and certainly one of the most consistently entertaining shows in the history of the Edinburgh Fringe is back for their 18th consecutive stint at the world's largest performing arts festival, after making their debut all the way back in 2008. Since then, they have won an Olivier Award, been afforded its own BBC Radio 4 series, and performed all over the world including in Belgium, Canada, Hong Kong and Singapore. Not bad for a group of friends who spend their time on stage having fun writing a different new musical every day, yet somehow still manage to maintain its energy and sense of fun day in, day out.

The company of "Showstopper!" (credit: Alex Brenner)

With a rotating roster of 23 improvisers and 11 musicians, it is always a treat to see different combinations on stage, and how they all play off of each other; this particular performance featured the combined efforts of Jonathan Ainscough, Justin Brett, Pippa Evans, Adam Meggido, Nell Mooney, Andrew Pugsley and Lucy Trodd, with Dylan Emery acting as the master of ceremonies, and a band made up of pianist Jordan Clarke, drummer Nathan Gregory and saxophonist Pete Furniss. The premise this time round? A coach trip to Stonehenge, entitled "We Will Rocks you" (see what we did there?), dipping into musicals like "Moulin Rouge", "Hamilton" and "Shucked" in order to make up a new score's worth of songs on the spot.

These guys are some of the best of the best when it comes to musical improvisation, with Evans and Meggido in particular displaying distinct deftness of song crafting and impressively instinctive rhyming, and both bouncing off of one another terrifically well. Whilst not every audience suggestion was called upon, that certainly didn't stop the cast dropping both subtle and not so subtle callbacks, with an unused suggestion of a setting of Marks & Spencer often being alluded to during the scenes, to hilarious effect; additionally, the various curveballs throw in by Emery were handled brilliantly, including the suggestion that Meggido and Mooney (whom formed a quite formidable professional partnership) portray an entire coach load of different characters at once.

The company of "Showstopper!" (credit: Alex Brenner)

As ever though, the story itself, in spite of having been assembled there and then from a handful of suggestions from the audience, was very strongly pieced together, with several subplots relating to established friendships, a budding romance, and two ancient, time travelling druids named, appropriately, Bill and Ted. It's wacky yet well considered, chaotic but simultaneously makes complete sense, plus there was no shortage of humour, and though there was the occasional moment of pitchiness, the vocals overall were exceptional.

Other brilliant on stage relationships included Evans and Trodd, portraying a pair of old friends, and our two druids Ainscough and Pugsley, eliciting laughs galore through their hysterically exaggerated mannerisms and archaic turns of phrase. "Showstopper!" is fast paced, frenetic, and razor sharp in its wit, adaptability and collaboration, with performers able to create off the cuff jokes like greased lightning. It may have just hit its 18th birthday, however this marvel of madcap merriment shows no sign of losing its mojo, so make sure you don't miss out, because who knows what kooky musical concoction they will come up with next time...

★★★★☆ (4*)

"Showstopper!" runs at 17:20 every day (excl. 18/08) at Grand, Pleasance Courtyard until the 30th of August (tickets)

{PR/Gifted Tickets}