It is striking to see impro, for so long the runt of the entertainment litter, cheered in a West End theatre. This Whose Line Is It Anyway? revival follows on from Clive Anderson and co’s performances at last year’s Edinburgh fringe. The live version of the Channel 4 hit mainlines nostalgia, but backs it up with big laughs and a generous, unpretentious spirit.
More than wit, sense of humour or speed of thought (all amply present), these improvisers’ (Josie Lawrence, Colin Mochrie, Greg Proops, Brad Sherwood) most conspicuous talent is that they’re game – by which I mean that, without self-consciousness or anxiety, they’re happy to throw themselves into any daft challenge put their way. Many of the exercises come with funniness built in, and good cheer plus a readiness to look ridiculous is all that’s required to ensure the laughs flow.
That’s the case when, say, audience volunteers manipulate Sherwood and Mochrie’s bodies through a fire-at-the-zoo scenario, or when three party guests are given bizarre traits to be guessed by the host. At such moments, improvising is low in the mix: it’s more organised chaos with amusing asides. But the classic impro games find the team on equally hilarious form. In one exercise requiring Mochrie and Lawrence to speak only in questions, he replies to her “did you miss me?” with a reflex “compared to what?”
There are one or two squibs, and it’d be improved if Lawrence weren’t the only woman: the male bias is sometimes conspicuous. Not for the first time, her improvised singing stands out, although Sherwood runs her close with a security guard-themed hip-hop number. It’s a great night out, an improvement on the telly version and a liberating celebration of how exhilarating life can be when we surrender control entirely.
• At the Adelphi, London, until 5 July. Buy tickets from theguardianboxoffice.com or call 0330 333 6906.
