Review: Impromptunes – Badprov at The Parlour

Review by Tatum Stafford

Impromptunes are a Perth Fringe World favourite for a reason – the troupe are jam-packed with talent, whip-smart improv skills, and incredible musical talent. This year, the gang are bringing a special late-night show to the Pleasure Garden, aptly called ‘Badprov’, and the show is just as hilarious and raunchy as you’d expect.

Entering the tent with a bang, the group of four performers launched into a ‘bad rap’, gleefully taking audience suggestions that didn’t rhyme and were downright wrong. This set the tone for the evening of improv games, with the aim to get each member of the troupe cancelled. On the night I saw it, the power was in an audience member’s hands, as he was given a prop horn to toot every time someone went a tad too far (to hilarious results).

The games included themes of naughty fairytales, cringe first dates, inappropriate serenading and improv raps based on audience confessions. 

The real gem of the show, though, came in its conclusion, where the troupe did a mini, abridged version of their famous Impromptunes fare. The only troupe member yet to be cancelled, Morgan, wore earplugs and headphones blaring metal music, and had the challenging task to slot into a 15-minute improvised musical (named by audience suggestion) without being able to hear anything. The other three ensemble members showcased their impressive improv musical abilities, while Morgan furiously mirrored their choreography and attempted to read their lips and match pitch, much to the audience’s delight. 

This was a clear hit of the night, so I definitely think it could be expanded in future iterations of the show – it was especially hilarious to watch Morgan commit to what he believed the musical was about (the great Aussie emu war), all the while the show was called ‘I Want to Kill the Muppets’. 

This is a super-fun, raunchy late-night offering that is definitely worth a look this Fringe season. And while you’re at it, make it a double bill and check out the Impromptunes: A Completely Improvised Musical show at 9.30pm every night for a dose of the troupe’s flagship show – it’s always a ton of fun!

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