[Keeping the Season Silly]
Sleigh!, this yr’s Basement Christmas present created by The Heartthrobs, is a completely improvised romp set in that almost all great, unusual and Christmassy of locations: the mall. If you’ve seen Snort earlier than, you’ll be accustomed to the fundamental construction – the performers ask the viewers for prompts round which they need to then create a scene. (And should you’ve by no means been to improv comedy earlier than, don’t fear – that’s the extent of the viewers participation.) For Sleigh! we’re requested to counsel locations within the mall, which develop into the settings for the improvised scenes.
The first spherical of scenes introduces us to characters whose journey we’ll find yourself following all through the present. But on the prime of the scenes within the first spherical, there’s a lovely suspense within the air – the setting has been established however the characters and battle haven’t, and we’re proper alongside the performers with the electrifying sensation that this might go anyplace. And, boy, will it! As we reunite with these characters and their predicaments within the following rounds, the performers handle to take us on a chaotic but heartfelt journey, slowly turning the dial as much as eleven.
The night time I attended featured a money-laundering therapeutic massage parlour, a will-they-won’t-they bromance in EB video games, and a possible love affair between a Victoria’s Secret employee and a 75-year-old buyer. We rapidly fall in love with the characters, and it’s really a pleasure to look at the story unfold earlier than our very eyes in a whirlwind of guffaws and absurdity.
The particular visitor is launched within the second act and is ushered by way of a collection of actions by the opposite performers. Unfortunately, we don’t get to spend an entire lot of time with the visitor, and I want that they had been utilised a bit extra. That stated, we had been nonetheless capable of get the pleasure of watching somebody thrust into one thing utterly unprepared, whereas video games had been used to maintain the visitor protected and by no means in peril of derailing the entire thing.
The Heartthrobs serve us a powerful rotating forged of feminine performers, who carry the enjoyment and vitality proper from the highest. We all the time really feel we’re in good fingers with them – they know simply when to carry again a gag, up the stakes or finish a scene. It’s clear they’re having a number of enjoyable, and their enjoyment is contagious. And, in fact, they’re completely hilarious!
The present ends on a be aware of real group spirit and Christmas cheer (whereas nonetheless by no means taking itself too significantly, in fact). I’m reminded why the Basement Christmas present is such an establishment – for the spirit of Christmas is, in some ways, the spirit of theatre (and comedy particularly). It is an opportunity for us all to come back collectively, to place our variations apart and share amusing.
Sleigh! is a fantastically foolish laugh-a-minute present and a very enjoyable night time out. If you’ve by no means seen improv comedy earlier than, it might simply convert you. If you’re already a fan, you don’t want to overlook this one.
Sleigh! performs Basement Theatre 30 November – 23 December, 2022.