IMPROV THE DEAD at the Hen and Chickens Theatre

★★★★

“at one point the whole cast go down a water slide, which is a delightful moment of silliness”

Improv, when it’s done well is a complete joy – the cast are having as much fun as the audience and everyone is getting involved and having a laugh. This is very much the case with Improv the Dead, a show which is carefully crafted and orchestrated for maximum fun, and maximum energy.

Right from the beginning the mood is set – we arrive in the space and nearly trip over a dead body, sprawled at the top of the stairs. On stage there are zombies feasting on intestines (which look suspiciously like spaghetti) and a couple of audience members are looking distinctly undead.

The gang launches in with a few short form games, warming up and setting the mood. The team are a cast of filmmakers, keen to act out some scenes from their most memorable genre films – what a coincidence that the audience are super fans and can supply all the titles! Then the show begins properly – it’s a zombie flick, set across two locations, supplied by the audience. There’s a huge cast, which mostly works really well, everyone is quick-witted and full of energy, ready to jump in at any moment. There is a bit of a tricky element of people standing at the edge, waiting to jump in, but everyone gets their chance in the spotlight, which is impressive given the size of the cast. There is lots of fourth wall breaking, with directors, producers and stars jumping out of the scene to get more audience suggestions. This stops things from slowing down, keeps the momentum going and keeps the laughs coming. Cast members also call out to flashback or cut to different scenes, which allows everyone a chance to get involved and stops anything from becoming stale.

Particular stand outs (at the time of writing, cast details were unavailable) are evil butler Jeeves who has worked in the castle for centuries and has the confidence to keep that joke going throughout. Also ‘fourth in line’, a little sister with her own nefarious subplot and Proty-Jay, who struggles with the pressure of wanting to save the world from the impending zombie apocalypse. There’s physical comedy as well as quips; at one point the whole cast go down a water slide, which is a delightful moment of silliness.

Structuring it as a zombie apocalypse movie works really well, it gives the piece stakes – and everyone a chance to be a ridiculously over the top member of the undead.

Any time the energy flags, someone cuts out and grabs an audience prompt, or a flashback or cutaway, which shows the strength of the cast. Everyone can sense the mood and play off each other really well. It’s a complete team effort, and no one is left out.

Improv the Dead is part of a regular improv night, on the second Tuesday of every month, and is well worth a trip to – especially as it’s a different show every single night.

IMPROV THE DEAD at the Hen and Chickens Theatre

Reviewed on 3rd August 2023

by Auriol Reddaway

Previously reviewed at this venue:

Glad To Be Dead? | ★★ | July 2023

Maybe I Do? | ★★★★ | July 2023

Lautrec | ★★★½ | August 2022

IMPROV THE DEAD

Click here to read all our latest reviews

★★

“It’s an impressive feat to perform one monologue, let alone multiple”

At the core of Glad to Be Dead? is a fascinating idea, but it is let down by a lack of cohesion, in theme, style and narrative.

It is an hour of monologues, told from beyond the grave. Some are historical figures; others are famous fictional characters. Each ghost is trapped alone in a room, able to watch the world through their window. It is slightly unclear how much of the world they can see, some seem to be confined to the memories of their creator, or themselves, while others can see our world and can pass judgement on it. Many of the ghosts berate us, pointing out flaws with modern life. Each monologue recounts the character’s life, sometimes dipping into philosophical musings.

The trouble is the choice of characters is random and disconnected. They include Casper the friendly ghost, Dorian Gray, and Reyna Angélica Marroquín, a young woman who was murdered in the 1960s. Some of the stories are interesting, because they’re less well known. But that’s a very different style to the monologues which are nods to famous fictional characters. Maybe the piece would work better by focussing on one of these stories, perhaps Irish murderer Katherine Webster, whose story is gripping, though the presentation of it reads a little like a Wikipedia entry. Many of the characters struggle to come to life, and feel a bit trapped by the weight of facts – there are lots of names and dates. Perhaps finding a stronger overarching theme would give the piece a little more narrative cohesion, as it feels a bit disjointed.

Mother/daughter writing duo Donna and Jade Flack have chosen some interesting figures, and the concept of these ghosts who are trapped in their rooms is really poignant. Casper, who is a child, just wants to play, and that loneliness is moving. There could be a little more light and shade in the piece, as it does feel tonally quite similar throughout. The moralising nature of many of the ghosts brings a strange preachiness at times, which is a shame. It would be nice to see these characters having a bit more fun.

It’s an impressive feat to perform one monologue, let alone multiple, and Barbara Llewellyn, Bruce Murray and Jade Flack (a writer/performer) all manage admirably. Llewellyn brought a real gusto to her characters, Murray a wry knowingness and Flack had a strong energy.

There are parts of Glad to Be Dead? which are thought provoking, and moving. It packs a huge amount into the hour, and learning about some of the characters was interesting, but in the end, there needs to be something more.

Tag Archives: Auriol Reddaway

Improv the Dead

★★★★

Hen and Chickens Theatre

IMPROV THE DEAD at the Hen and Chickens Theatre

★★★★

“at one point the whole cast go down a water slide, which is a delightful moment of silliness”

IMPROV THE DEAD at the Hen and Chickens Theatre