The London 50 Hour Comedy Improvathon: Because We Can Can Can! | Pleasance London

The London 50 Hour Comedy Improvathon: Because We Can Can Can! is one of the most exciting theatre shows to be performed, with a core cast of performers performing for an entire weekend. The improvathon, which has been created by the award winning team behind Showstopper!, brings together the best of comedy, improv and musicals with a deliriously hilarious show. This comedy improvathon chooses a general theme to base the individual shows around and has chosen to be inspired the Moulin Rouge in Paris.

This improvathon began on Friday 4th April at 7pm and finished on Sunday 6th April at 9pm, with 25 shows being performed. These shows are an hour and forty minutes (1hr 40mins) each, with a twenty minute break between each show, allowing the cast, creatives and audience a chance to stretch their legs, steal a precious few moments of sleep, rush a quick meal, or even brave the cold air as a surefire way to push through the night. The improvathon describes itself as a "bingeable theatre experience", often leaving shows on cliffhangers to keep the audiences engaged. 

Whilst the improvathon can be enjoyed as stand alone shows, or shorter runs of a few shows, the best way to enjoy the improvathon is to settle in for a long haul as the actors in their sleep deprivation and creative talent render storylines that just need to be seen to be believed. The wildest of storylines along with crazy character decisions and veterans of improv comedy and musical theatre, create a stimulating and unique experience like no other. Whilst this review covers only the first show, this reviewer stayed on for a further 13 shows throughout the weekend, for it is really hard to want to leave this little slice of comedic heaven. 

This year's theme "Because We Can Can Can" invites the cast to partake in a wild ride that is even more unhinged than usual, teasing an unrestrained freedom and a show-stopping spectacle that was a delight for audiences. The first show featured characters such as the rich new owners of the Roulin Mouge (for legal copy right reasons), a fan dancer, a health and safety inspector, a stage door keeper, a stagehand, a composer, a movement coach, a poet, a choreographer, two janitors, a green fairy, a poor florist, a Dr of the performing arts, an aspiring painter, a company manager, a Canadian logger, a vampire and believe it or not, the Phantom of the Opera. 

Set roughly in Paris 1900, the first show begins as an introduction to the characters as they slowly reveal their dreams, goals and motives as well as establishing character relationships. Whilst this can be initially a little confusing as a cast of twenty is introduced, particularly with a majority of French names, the characters soon become clear and have a defining feature allowing for a fun time to be had by one and all. 

Each show is guided by a director (Adam Meggido or Ali James, with assistance by Su Young Shon), who introduces the characters as well as a quick one line to remind audience of what that character's current situation is at the start of the show, and helps to create the bones of a scene for the cast to build upon. For example, the director would call upon certain characters and prompt either topic to discuss, or request for a song or dance to be performed, helping both cast and audiences to follow the show. 

The cast are all exceptional at improv, taking delight in stirring up the most bizarre of storylines and character choices, and quickly adapting to any challenges thrown at them. With a playful spirit, brave stupidity and an openness to experiment, the cast commit to every bit in the show, often putting themselves in awkward and embarrassing situations to the utter joy of the audience. Gifted both at physical comedy and wit, each actor creates several memorable moments that have audiences gasping for breath with laughter. 

Ruth Bratt and Jamie Cavanagh as Lord and Lady Marmalade, the filthy rich new owners of the Roulin Mouge, whose turbulent marriage and inability to stop tickling one another, is wonderfully hilarious. Justin Brett as a poet manages to make romantic sonnets that fill the air with emotional sighs just as well as pun-filled lines, and witty comebacks. Seamus John Allen who is a fan favourite as Tough Love, the health inspector, whose gift at physical comedy is truly marvellous. Paired with Jamie Cavanagh for round of Loouge, a rather explicit sport, the two are an unbeatable team with a connection that goes... quite deep. John Oakes is charming as Jon, the stage hand, with a little vulnerability and insistence of providing context for the smallest of details.

Lucy Trodd is fantastic as the energetic and flirty choreographer, Madame Chocolate. Andrew Pugsley stuns audiences vocally as the Phantom of the Opera. Safia Lamrani as the fan dancer whose sweet nature is a lovely variety to the chaos on stage. Mark Meer who is another fan favourite as the vampire, performing the silliest of acts with a serious face. Ellie Morris and Jacob Banigan as the sweet couple with heartfelt and hilarious performances. Alan Cox brings such gravitas to the show, even in the most stupendous of moment. 

Susan Harrison, an improv veteran, musical numbers are wonderful. Sally Hodgkiss manages to call for feminism and politics through humour and irony. Andrew Gentilli as the movement coach, although is probably best known for Crispin the evil sponge and his best friend and Dylan Emery, who also performs in the band, as the thieving and unapologetically egotistical composer are as funny as can be. 

The cast are each individually excellent, yet impossibly create even more magic when paired together. The sense of trust, friendship and excitement is clear on stage as the drama unfolds to new heights. However, the show's success also stems in no small part to the band (Richard Baker, Chris Ash, Pete Furniss and Emery), who not only improv a background score to most of the show, but quickly compose music to any spontaneous singing, creating songs that are not only enjoyable but of quite high calibre.  

The set design (Alex Marker) resembles the set of the musical Moulin Rouge, including a glittering red heart that also serves as a stage entrance/exit. The stage was decked with a number of wooden chairs, tables, movable room divider/screen and a sofa for the cast to use to help establish various locations in the theatre. The lighting design (Damian Robertson) has a sense of warmth and danger with its darker tones. The show also has technicians (Robertson, Joe Kelsey and Stef Lindwall) who help light up various parts of the stage, including a rarely used balcony on the second level of the stage. 

The London 50-Hours Comedy Improvathon is no small feat, but an athletic achievement that promises a weekend of merriment like no other. With storylines as bonkers as the concept of the improvathon itself, and a cast that deserve awards for their dedication to the craft as well as their performances, the excellent puppet master directors (particularly Adam Meggido), a fabulous band, the improvathon truly is a fantastic theatrical delight that theatre lovers can not afford to miss!

★★★★★ (5*)

Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | Photography by Claire Bilyard