Listed under comedy in the Fringe programme, this is one of those crossover events that is as much theatre, and might actually be better suited to the film festival. The clue is in the title - this is improvisation with added technology.
A group of earnest young Americans split into three teams and each team is given an object proffered by members of the audience. The teams race off to various locations - in the building and beyond - and separately improvise scenes in front of a camera. Runners return to the auditorium, where the scenes which have just been shot are immediately shown to the audience.
In the final reel the three stories are supposed to converge - although that failed to happen on the night I was there.
It is a decent enough idea with lots of potential but in the hands of this company it is more like watching an Olympic sport than an art form. The hosts try far too hard - they even clap themselves - and the actors just don't have the improvisational or acting skills to make the films compelling.
Neither do they show much initiative or imagination when it comes to location - why don't they hop onto buses or film in taxis? The irony is that Neutrino tries to convey a by-the-seat-of-its-pants atmosphere while taking no risks at all. In the end too much of the hour is simply spent watching the company logo and films that are no more funny or dramatic than your average home movie.
· Until August 29. Box office: 0131 668 1633
