Performers: Degrees Of Error
Improvised shows form such a significant sub-group among Fringe offerings, I thought it would be remiss of me not to review one of them. I didn’t think how difficult that might prove to be, considering how much of the pleasure comes from the improvisation itself, and that each iteration of each show is, effectively, unique.
Nevertheless, here we go. I opted to see this show, performed by Degrees Of Error and now in its tenth year. Its essential premiss is to create a classic murder mystery from scratch, based on suggestions from the large and enthusiastic audience in the capacious Gordon Aikman Theatre at George Square.
The proceedings are overseen by a lady detective, with a little assistance from a randomly selected audience member, who has to shout things out, but gets to stay in their seat.
The other characters are cutely presented in colour-coded costumes – Graham Green, Roger Red and so on – though we have to wonder at the nomenclature system that arrived at ‘Fragila’ Blue, an innovation that turned into a running gag throughout this particular show.
From a shortlist of three events suggested by other audience members, our representative decreed that the background to the action should be an upholstery competition. For those disappointed that cheese-rolling wasn’t selected, the cast brilliantly wove this into the storyline anyway.
How about the set? Well, it’s the familiar one – a drawing room from the first half of the twentieth century – but this doesn’t stop the cast making it double up as other locations, which is both confusing and hilarious. In similar vein, lack of featured props doesn’t deter them from miming the missing items, with varying degrees of believability but uniform levels of silliness.
Compounding the fun, convoluted explanations of past actions are immediately followed by flashback scenes that are nigh-impossible to act out. As if things weren’t challenging enough for them, much mirth comes from the actors actively attempting to trip each other up. Even the lighting operative gets in on the act, curtailing scenes that show some promise but more desperation.
By the end of the show, of course, the killer is revealed and all the loose ends are tied up. Sort of. In our case, we all owed a debt of gratitude to the cast for positing a ‘Global Upholstery Council’ and the banning, in the late sixteenth century, of downholstering. Great stuff.
Runs until 26 August 2024 | Image: Contributed
The Reviews Hub Score
Beautifully shambolic
