Director: Dylan Emery

Reviewer: Nathan Shreeve

The Public Reviews Rating:

Showstopper! Is one of the shows at the festival that is fast becoming a staple of the festival-goers diet. One of the sheer joys of the Fringe, this show has the unique selling point, in that two shows will never be the same, although, judging from the raucous response from the enthusiastic audience, the reaction might follow along the same lines more than once. The cast are a wonder, as are the musicians, who improvise their way through Jonathan Larson, Stephen Schwartz and even navigating around the tricky lyrics of Gilbert and Sullivan. Occasionally, it could be said that the cast are not as imaginative or inventive as they could be, particularly with a lyric, but these moments are nearly always utilised for humour, which this production has in spades. In particular, the performance of Ruth Bratt stood out. A ball of energy, boundless talent and humour, she is an outstanding performer, who is worth the price of entry alone. The cast was without a weak link, and Dylan Emery, as the compere of the evening, held the entire show together with a fantastic rapport with the audience. Showstopper! is just that, and is a show which cannot be missed.

Showstopper runs until Aug 28th (not August 17)

Tags: Dylan Emery, Gilbert & Sullivan, Gilded Balloon, Improvised, Jonathan Larson, Musical, Ruth Bratt, Showstopper, Stephen Schwartz