Showstopper at Christmas! at Lowry

Most musicals take years to develop. Scripts are written and tweaked, songs are composed, and every element of choreography and movement is carefully blocked and rehearsed. The Showstoppers prefer to make things considerably more difficult for themselves. They turn up, ask the audience for a few ideas and then make a brand-new musical up as they go along.

Returning to Lowry this Christmas, Showstopper! The Improvised Musical is a beautifully spontaneous show – there’s no script, no prepared songs and absolutely no idea where the evening might end up. This is musical theatre created entirely from scratch by the talented cast and live band. And yes, you can still expect those big show tunes, elaborate dance routines and dramatic plot twists.

The audience is called upon to help steer proceedings, suggesting everything from settings and storylines to musical styles. What follows could be a romantic comedy, a murder mystery or something considerably more ridiculous. The only certainty is that nobody, including the performers, knows what’s coming next.

Of course, making an improvised show look effortless requires a remarkable amount of skill. The Olivier Award-winning company has spent 16 years entertaining audiences at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, clocking up more than 1,500 improvised musicals along the way. That’s an impressive number of songs, characters and unlikely plot developments conjured up on the spot.

And while Christmas theatre often relies on familiar stories and well-worn traditions, we think Showstopper! offers something completely different. No two performances are ever the same, and there’s every chance that even a particularly daft audience suggestion could turn into the evening’s biggest musical number. Recommended for ages 12 and up, it’s the perfect madcap antidote to predictable festive entertainment.

Who needs a script when you’ve got an audience with a questionable imagination and a cast talented enough to run with it?