Browse reviews

Edinburgh Fringe 2009

Late Night Improv Fight

The Scat Pack

Venue: C Central

Festival:


Low Down

Strong team comedy improvisation from the Scat Pack, high in energy in a late night slot. 

Review

 There’s a great atmosphere here, with a raucous audience, and a cast of improvisers who are only slightly better behaved. The idea is that improv group The Scat Pack, along with representatives of other improve groups dotted across the fringe, go head to head playing fast paced and frenetic Whose Line Is It Anyway type games, and we – the audience – get to decide who wins the most points. It’s lewd, rude, bursting with energy, and everything you’d hope to get from something called Late Night Improv Fight.

The evening is full of huge, high energy that doesn’t let up for the full hour. Such is the nature of the evening that not everything sticks: they’re having to deal with an audience that seems half drunk and shout out anytime they want. But they cope with this, and the competitive element of the proceedings, with confidence and verve.
 
Lots of short form games are attacked, wrestled, and thrown over the shoulder with glee: 187, a quick burst of stand up style gags based on audience suggestions, Superhero, a particularly confident and strong round in which the team solve a world crisis (again, from audience suggestions),and the best example of an improv game called Story Story Die that this reviewer has yet seen.
 
Late Night Improv Fight is nothing like a fight at all: it’s strong, supportive teamwork (impressive when you consider these performers aren’t from the same team), and very fine entertainment.

Published