The theatre industry is full of creatives, innovators and inventors and in these strange and trying times where theatres remain closed all over the country, this fact has only been proven. So many people have been going above and beyond to allow theatre to continue to happen, to continue to bring entertainment to the bases whilst we remain unable to gather in theatres together. Throughout the lockdown and ongoing theatre shutdown, we have been treated to so many great archive recordings, concerts and productions put together in isolation and this week, the showstoppers returned with their second socially distanced improvised musical.
The Showstoppers, a talented group of performers and improvisors, have become well known and much loved for their ability to put together and create a brand new musical out of thin air. With ideas taken from the audience watching at home, the four performers, Ruth Bratt, Justin Brett, Adam Meggido and Pippa Evans, (all socially distanced in their own little perplex pods, and host/live video editor Andrew Pugsley, create dialogue and songs in a story that flows naturally as if it’s been planned and rehearsed to perfection.
This is the third time I have been fortunate enough to see a showstoppers show, once live and now twice virtually, and every time I am amazed at how easy they make it look to create a full show so quickly and their ability to seemingly know exactly what each performer is going to do next. In this performance, we were taken on a time travelling adventure on a hot air balloon in a brand new show entitled ‘The Balloon Where It Happened’. What starts as four old friends, Suzanna (Evans), Maurice (Brett), Lilith (Bratt) and Maurie (Meggido) enjoying a balloon flight over New York leads to a journey back to their past and important decisions about where they want to be.
Suggestions were taken from the audience watching at home throughout the performance, with ideas for story twists and song types. We had songs inspired by many a show, including The Boyfriend, Les Miserables and Hamilton. It’s always amazing to see how the cast are able to predict what their fellow performers are going to say next and how perfect harmonies are put together at the drop of a hat. It’s hard to believe that it is all improvised, it’s so fully formed and well performed with the audience able to become attached to the characters and the unfolding story very easily. Standout moments included Justin Brett’s turn as Frenchman Pierre, who quickly become a viewer favourite and had a moment to shine in a hilarious musical number inspired by the Muppets.
I have to also congratulate the musicians Alex Atty and Duncan Walsh Atkins for their amazing ability to instantly play a brand new song in whatever style is desired and play along with the performers without knowing what they are going to say next. The ballads for this performance were particularly lovely. Plus, it’s always funny to see host Andrew Pugsley tease the cast members by asking them tricky questions about the suddenly thought up story. After all, who knows when Macy’s opened? Pugsley also does a great job live editing the video.
Everything about a Showstopper performance is always so slick and polished, and it’s always clear to see how much fun the cast are having creating these incredible new stories. This tight knit group of talented performers are leading the way in bringing live theatre back to the masses, and I can only imagine how much hard work goes into bringing this show to us live in our homes, and I can only thank them for that. I hope that we get to see more of these live streamed shows and I hope that once the theatres reopen again that I can finally get the chance to see a showstopper improvised musical in the flesh again.