Review: The Bloopers! An Improvised Musical Biopic, Phoenix Arts Club

Enthusiastic and charismatic host Charlie Sharpe begins by making it clear that The Bloopers! An Improvised Musical Biopic, produced by Jack Dalton and Xavier Fawcett, places audience enjoyment at its heart. This is achieved by use of a clever framing device; the audience act as judges of a film award and vote for the winning biopic, which is brought to life. Harald Hardrada was selected as the subject of this show, given the ingenious title The Hardrada They Fall.

In 1066, Norwegian King Harald Hardrada (Sharpe), supported by advisor Godfrey (Ed Ramsey), has assembled a boatload of warriors to invade England. Among them are serving women Jorgen (Matilda McCarthy) and another whose name is immediately forgotten by all (Habiba Banu), who aspire to develop themselves. The invasion provides English King Harold (Jon Mather) with the opportunity to earn himself the title ‘The Embarrasser’ by defending the realm with only ill-resourced fishermen, led by Darryl (Dalton) and Clive (Fawcett).

Each of the ensemble gets to showcase their impressive talent through a range of energetically performed song and dance routines: rousing battle rallies, humorous vignettes, and tender tales of personal ambitions and worries. These are enhanced by creative pianists Finlay Stafford and Theo Caplan providing a responsive live score, deftly matching the tone of their music to that established by the actors or setting up a change of pace.

Because both the story setting and characters are only determined when the show begins, it would be impossible to prepare any scenery, props or costuming in advance. This is no hindrance at all, as the actors use simple miming techniques to describe a setting and hold/wear any equipment needed. Longboats and castles, fishing rods and swords are all effectively conjured up; imagination effectively fills in the gaps. The ensemble wears a standardised outfit of black trousers and different coloured t-shirts to provide visual interest and stand out against the plain dark backdrop.

The interval again demonstrates the commitment to prioritise audience enjoyment. Recognising that a historical drama may not suit all tastes, Sharpe invites the audience to vote how to throw in a curveball second act twist. Tonight the cast embraced the resulting bizarre turn of the characters entering the modern Eurovision Song Contest. Rather than using the interval to rest, they unexpectedly performed two unrelated short bonus musicals to maintain the energy. Both were as creative as the main feature.

As directors, Fawcett and Sharpe have built a tangible camaraderie between the ensemble, who all share excellent chemistry; it is striking how collaborative and supportive they are of each other. At the first sign of anyone struggling to continue a scene or needing to catch their breath, others jump in with a helpful prompt or step into the lead. The quick-witted actors share a talent for seamlessly enhancing and building upon the foundation someone establishes. They take turns to lead scenes, usually in pairs, with the others lining up as backing singers and dancers; one will start up a chorus or a movement which is quickly replicated by the others. Someone will be stuck by an inspired idea to change the direction of a scene, which others embrace and help fulfil. As we approached the end of the show, cast members thoughtfully prompted each other to wrap up their unresolved plot threads.

This ensemble thrives in the spontaneous nature of improv, supporting each other to deliver an engaging and coherent plot, complete with heartening life lessons, and collaborating with the audience to adapt and deliver maximum entertainment. With boundless energy, imagination and sharp wits, they can take on any story suggestions offered.

Presented by: We’re Gonna be a Dad Theatre Group
Directed by: Xavier Fawcett and Charlie Sharpe
Produced by: Jack Dalton and Xavier Fawcett 

The Bloopers! An Improvised Musical Biopic has completed its current run at Phoenix Arts Club