True to the troupe’s uniqueness as ‘Durham University’s only Improvised Comedy Society’, Shellshock!’s preview for their upcoming show, due to be performed in the Durham and Edinburgh Fringe Festivals, surpassed all expectations of a distinctive and extraordinary portrayal of teamwork, adaptability, playfulness, and amusement. Improvisers Ben Bradley, Beckett Yorke, Sophie Partis, Chris Angus, Kate Walsh, Alex McCorron, and Yicong Hui, assisted by well-timed background music managed by Eve Sherratt-Cross, and led by Henry Cole as an imposing medium in a cloak, showcased exceptional quick-thinking and humour in a tight 60-minute séance-themed runtime. 

The performance was cohesive in its execution. Starting off strong with a game called Retain Chain, two improvers were on stage at a time and ‘retained’ an element from a previous scene. Over the course of the game, all performers were part of a pair under Cole’s instruction, who confidently prompted them to switch from one scene to another with cues such as ‘channel a heist’, ‘channel annoyance’, or (a clear audience favourite) ‘channel the phrase “it is very big”’. Starting the show with a sequence in which all improvisers were involved established a careful balance between commendable collaboration and individualisation; each performer was able to showcase their own talent while having seamless synergy with one another. To maintain this level of chemistry while consistently landing jokes and punchy one-liners is a remarkable feat, which the Shellshock! cast executed meticulously. 

A personal favourite from the performance was a scene called The Oracle, whereby Angus, Hui, and Partis answered questions posed by the audience through attempting to form comprehensible sentences by saying one word at a time. Maximum audience interaction and energy was ensured by the cast’s own contagious gusto particularly well in this scene. The audience’s questions, such as ‘Is the Earth flat?’ and ‘Oracle, are you single?’, aided the hilarity of the three-mouthed oracle, and demonstrated improvised comedy’s capacity for impressive and immediate audience engagement, which is rarely found in other forms of theatre. Another standout of the night was Bradley, Yorke, Walsh, and McCorron’s performances in a game called ‘Dubbing’, where two improvisers wordlessly acted out a scenario between a teacher and a headteacher, while the remaining two voiced the scene on their behalf. Their control of body language and comedic timing was outstanding. Another scene called 1, 2, 3 showcased nuns played by Yorke, Partis, and Angus, who could speak in only one, two, and three words respectively. The almost wholesome humour of this scene relied on strategic intonation and facial expression, which the three improvisors managed expertly. Imagine it: three nuns in a nunnery exclaiming, in quick succession and with increasing enthusiasm, ‘It was Jesus…’; ‘Jesus Christ?’; ‘Jesus!’. Throughout the show, the potent mutual trust amongst the cast members was spectacular to witness. 

The second half of the show was executed in short scenes portraying moments from the life of a mariner named Thomas, who had a dubiously acquired limp, a fierce devotion to his diary, and a cat named Tibbles. Every characteristic of this segment, from the name ‘Thomas’ to his obsession with a book, was established by audience prompts or by qualities proposed by the cast themselves in a scene called ‘Summoning’, whereby an improviser stepped forward and said something about Thomas’ character or life. It would be remiss of me to write about this part of the performance without mentioning the performers’ exceptional adaptability. On one occasion, Bradley mistakenly said the name ‘Timothy’ instead of ‘Thomas’, which was taken by Angus in stride as he stepped forward and said, ‘[Thomas] often forgot his own name!’. While adaptability is essential to improvised comedy, the apparent ease with which the Shellshock! cast carried these moments came across as extremely natural in a way one would expect only from a scripted play. Additionally, this flexibility was masterfully executed in favour of comedic timing.

Snapshots from Thomas’ life got increasingly more absurd, culminating in a chaotic scene where all improvisers were on stage; two of them were playing medication-delivering, predatory Pelicans, while two others were playing a cat with a table on its back so as to imitate a tortoise and its shell (let it be known that I am struggling to express this in a way that makes sense, because it was in the scene’s nature to be indescribable. While this ran the risk of being frustrating in its absurdity, the performers were successful in keeping it quirky and funny in moderation). There were moments where the projection of dialogue was not strong enough, and the audience at the back had difficulty making out what was happening. However, this was eventually caught on and fixed during subsequent scenes towards the end, which was wrapped up with outtakes from the show, other possible scenarios, and more witty one-liners.  

Another mention is due to Sherratt-Cross for her warm welcoming of the audience by the doors, to Walsh for her charismatic and concise introduction and closing of the show, and to Cole’s brilliant, confidently embodied portrayal of a spirit medium. All improvisers gave high-calibre performances which were described by fellow audience members as ‘Hilarious’, ‘Incredibly clever’, and ‘Impressive’. The preview of Shellshock!’s Crystal Clear: An Improvised Séance has promised a comedic feast for those attending the Durham and Edinburgh Fringe Festivals in July and August. Tickets can be bought for them here (Durham Fringe) and here (Edinburgh Fringe). And make sure to check out their Instagram, @shellshock_improv, to stay updated on Shellshock!’s other shows and workshops!

Featured Image Credit: Shellshock! via Instagram (@shellshock_improv)