A movie created before your very eyes
Mischief Movie Night
Northcott Theatre, July 2018
Review by India Nye
How do you sum up one of the most insane, crazy and hilarious plays to set foot in Exeter’s Northcott? Inspired. From the creators of “The Play That Goes Wrong”, Mischief Theatre creates a movie from scratch in front of your eyes. The audience chooses the genre, location and title - this is improvisation start to finish, from the live music, to the director pausing, rewinding and skipping scenes with his remote control.
The cast is incredibly talented – and on opening night in Exeter, make up a Disney-inspired musical numbers on the spot, as well as an entire narrative. They may well have done this before, of course – the show has been a hit in London and recently returned from Broadway. With comic timing, these actors are pros, the best at what they do. With the smallest of gestures they orchestrate new ideas and work together to take the audience to a new and exciting place, in our case, a garden centre. They bounce off each other, respond to prompts from the musicians and hints from the director.
The live music is exquisite, working beautifully alongside each scene – from an evil villain to a conversation between two lovers. It’s improvisation that looks scripted, and this is the beauty of Mischief Theatre. It’s a must-see for those who want to laugh their socks off and be amazed by cast of talented individuals.
