Could you first introduce yourself to the reader?
We are Showstopper! The Improvised Musical and I’m Lauren, Showstopper cast member.
How would you describe your show?
Showstopper is a completely improvised comedy musical that is different every single time. With help from the audience, we create the story, the songs, the dance routines and our unique characters, all on the spot. So I would describe it as a brilliant challenge, that we delight in and that we’re all discovering together with the audience every night.
What is your favourite part of your show?
I love being surprised by my fellow improvisers and watching them be fantastic; there’s nothing like the joy of hearing them sing out into the beautiful space of the Pleasance Grand with a song that they’re improvising that’s as good as a written musical. Showstopper is a wonderful mix of moving moments like those, and joyful scenes of clowning and spontaneous comedy, and I think that’s a very special combination.
If your show had a theme song, what would it be and why?
It would be something we all improvise together, of course! The key to Showstopper is the immediacy of the experience – we’re all discovering the musical at the same time as the audience. So our theme song would have to be inspired by suggestions from the audience about their favourite parts of the show, and we would take it from there.
What is one thing you hope audiences will take away from your show?
I think a sense of wonder; the feeling that they’ve been transported for an hour or so, and witnessed a theatrical event that was only for the people in the room at that moment, and will never happen in the same way again. They can also take a Showstopper CD...
If you could add a surprise celebrity cameo to your show, who would it be and why?
Barbra Streisand. She’s the answer to every question.
Why do you want to perform at Edinburgh Festival Fringe?
Showstopper has been coming to the Fringe for 14 years! So it’s in our DNA as a group, and such a wonderful opportunity for us all to come together and perform for a long run. We have an audience in Edinburgh that have been with us since our very earliest shows in a tiny portacabin, so it’s lovely to see them all again and perform in the stunning Pleasance Grand.
What differentiates it from other festivals?
It just feels absolutely vast! I love the idea of there being different shows and performers everywhere you turn, and the opportunity to take a punt on artistic endeavours you never knew existed.
What is one thing you would change about the Edinburgh Festival Fringe?
Comedy, Theatre, Dance and both savoury and sweet crepes at all times of day or night? I can’t think why you’d make any changes to that line up.
What is your favourite thing about performing for a live audience?
Part of the delight of Showstopper is engaging with the audience constantly through the show. With improv, the audience are always directing the show because we’re picking up on their reactions to what’s happening in the moment; do they want more of it, less of it, or something completely different? Because it’s live anything can happen, and the audience get to share those moments of creativity with the performers. The audience get to shout out their ideas, and then see those ideas happen immediately on stage, and that’s where so much of the excitement is for us as performers.
What is the strangest thing that has ever happened to you while performing?
The strangest and most wonderful things normally come from brilliant mistakes and misunderstandings in an improv show; you can come on as a background cleaner, but another cast member might think you’re their long-lost twin, and suddenly you’re an integral part of the scene and the wider story. So you put down your imaginary broom and go with it. It’s strange and brilliant.
What's the most challenging or unconventional venue you've ever performed in, and how did it impact the overall experience?
We absolutely loved performing in the round at The Stephen Joseph theatre. The musical was set in a drag bar in Ibiza, so we were able to go to town on our dance routines and make sure the whole audience felt included. To be improvising a show while also making sure you’re taking in the whole space around you was an extra challenge that we loved.
Is there a piece of feedback you've received from an audience member or critic after a performance that’s stuck with you?
Oh I love talking to our audience members after the shows. They don’t give feedback (they’re wiser and more beautiful than that) but they’ve often seen other shows and come back for more. So I love conversations that feature ‘We saw the one set on the Central Line!’ or ‘We saw the one where you were fell in love during an improvised duet about jazz!’ – our audience members remind us of all the brilliant settings and songs we might otherwise have forgotten.
What is your favourite thing to do in Edinburgh when you're not performing? How do you relax and look after your mental health?
See above re: crepes. Crepes and snoozes.
Is there a show you’re excited to see when you’re up there?
I’m already booked in for Bridget Christie, because she is a wonderful woman. Even if she hadn’t written anything, I would pay to hear her just sit and chat for an hour.
What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone thinking about taking a show up to Edinburgh?
Try to have a support network of pals or other performers up here if you can - it will definitely help. During one of my earliest Edinburgh experiences I knew very few people, so I spent most of my time watching the BBC adaptation of Bleak House on DVD at home. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an incredible series and Gillian Anderson is amazing in it, but I may have had a bit more fun if I’d had made some connections with other people going through the ups and downs of their first Fringe.
When and where can people see your show?
At The Pleasance Grand 21:10 from Aug 2-27 (not 15)
And where can people find you online?
https://showstopperthemusical.com/
Showstoppers! is at the Pleasance Courtyard – Grand at 9.10pm from 2nd - 27th August (except 15TH) for tickets go to www.edfringe.com
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