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Camden Fringe
A playful courtroom of improvised comedy.Summary
Rating
Good
Whilst the Judge Moody team regularly perform on the improv circuit across London and beyond, this weekend was their Camden Fringe debut. The nature of improv is that no two performances are alike but, in this case, the concept of a reality TV courtroom show is very familiar.
The cast welcome the audience, explain the premise and ask if anyone has anything that is annoying them enough to be brought before the court. On this occasion they find a very willing volunteer called Hannah. Her grievance centres around her brother and his secret girlfriend from work. Upon further questioning by several cast members, a rich seam of a story is uncovered. Having gathered enough information, the cast take their positions before Judge Moody enters and the show begins. I thought it might have been a nice touch if the audience were made to stand for the entrance of the judge.
What followed was 45 minutes of really amusing improv, demonstrating the skills of the cast members to play off each other; really listening for the moments from which to glean comedy. The Judge presided and the plaintiff and accused sat on chairs in front, rising to make their statements. Regularly the testimony was acted out further downstage, highlighted by a lighting change. I particularly liked that the cast played roles that weren’t limited by the genders they were presenting – another great aspect of improv being that anyone can play anything.
Quick reactions were evidenced, as cast members ‘tapped out’ each other, to take over. The cast began to take on roles that exaggerated the initial stimulus. Improv is never perfect and slip-ups and stumbles occurred, but at no time did it feel uncomfortable. Cast members adeptly used any stumble to further the story and bring some absurd humour to the fore. An example of this was that when ‘the boss’ did the work romance couldn’t occur – “not on land”. Suddenly, the scene in the flat became a houseboat and all the characters pivoted to accommodate this, eliciting many laughs as a result.
At an appropriate point, the presiding Judge Moody drew everything together and made a judgement, bringing the playfulness to a satisfying conclusion.
Cast: Charlotte Byrne, Joe Cassidy, Michelle Davies, Cameron Massey, Michael Spelman, Omar Sattaur, James Willis
Judge Moody: An Improvised Comedy Court Case has finished its run at the Camden Fringe. For further information follow them on Instagram @judgemoody.impro
