Impromptunes – The Completely Improvised Musical

Impromptunes, in its third year at Perth’s Fringe World, is an amazingly popular show, and is therefore a “must review”, as well as purely a pleasure to see. I must admit though, that reviewing this is a little bit redundant.

I don’t know what you are going to see when you go. Completely improvised from an audience suggestion, every show is the opening and closing of a brand new musical.

The first night of this season featured the title ‘Voyage of the Pickle’, as a group of sailors (who had set to sea as infants), searched for the fabled Island of Pickles. The pickles, turned out to be both life-size and sentient (an important plot point) but unfortunately also very anti-human.

A wonderfully convoluted plot was moved along with hit songs including “The Pickle Dance” and the reprise, retitled “The Human Dance” and the delicious ear-worm “People can be pickles, but pickles can be people again.”

Expertly accompanied by musical improvisation-whiz Robert Woods, the show moved at a swift pace.

The cast of the Voyage of the Pickle included Amberly Cull, Hollie James, Isabella Valette, Sophie Kneebone, Roland Lewis and Morgan Phillips, all of whom are consummate improvisers and sing well. Your cast may vary.

While I have no idea what you will encounter at Impromptunes, my experience over the last 3 years would suggest that it will be extremely funny, very impressive and you will have a ball.

Kimberley Shaw