4 STARS, August 17-26. Showing at the Gilded Balloon Rose Theatre, Spontaneous Potter is a must-see for lovers of Harry Potter, says Amanda Hodges
Improvised Harry Potter? If this sounds enticing then head straight to the Gilded Balloon for a night of virtually non-stop hilarity. Having initially established themselves as an exciting improv troupe performing Sherlock Holmes-themed mini plays, the team now work their magic on Potter’s wizarding world. Taking as their theme any subject however esoteric that’s suggested by the audience, on the night I attended it was ‘Harry Potter and the Drag-Queen Ensemble.’
Quite a challenge you might suspect but no, the company took it well within their stride, creating a deliciously daft, utterly irresistible comedy that was both highly inventive and extremely funny. They start and finish with Harry talking to best friend Ron (now nicknamed ‘Cheasley’) Weasley about the strange direction in which his life is heading and manage to incorporate just about everything inbetween, from the wonderfully strangulated vocal machinations of Severus Snape to the sparkling new life of baubles and glitter that beckons each of them behind the Mirror of Erised.
Yes there are, perhaps inevitably, a few moments when inspiration briefly flags but these are tiny and generally the company do a terrific job, offering the perfect tonic after a long day at the Fringe.
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