State of the Art Comic Improvisation
“Creepy First Date. Human Sacrifice. Gardening.”
Three Suggestions From the Audience
As many people know, the Edinburgh Fringe is a spin-off from the Festival. Sometimes the two overlap, with established performers attracting audiences from both. This year, there was, justifiably, considerable excitement for the ad-lib comedy shows by Suki Webster and Paul Merton. The 750-seat Pleasance Grand was full of eager people waiting for the start of the one-hour performance.
As might be expected, an unscripted show relies heavily on the performers’ skills in reading the audience and keeping up the momentum. This is where Paul, with his trademark dry humour and quick silver wit, plays perfectly against the energy of his wife, Suzi Webster. Together they make a strong team. Mike McShane is a permanent guest. Many of us remember him from Whose Line Is It Anyway? Kirsty Newton on Keyboard provides musical accompaniment as needed. The additional celebrity guest was Julian Clary on top form but the guest changes with each show or venue on the tour.
The show unfolded with Suki marshalling the players into a series of very funny games. One highlight was the Alphabet game where two players had to speak alternately, with each line beginning with the next letter of the alphabet. Not easy, try it at home!
Suki has a great line in speaking a fake language with Russian type syllables but essentially it is nonsense. I think Paul translated for us. For many of the games, the situations and items were suggested by the audience. “Dogging” was a favourite as was “bell ringing”! Mike McShane was an accountant set in a Spaghetti Western
For me, the best game came when a member of the audience, Tania, was invited to “control” Paul and Suki as if they were puppets. Paul and Suki would provide the dialogue and then wait for Tania to position them, refusing to move otherwise. In this sketch, Paul the puppet wanted to return a washing machine. The actors could not control their own movements, which were directed entirely by the audience member’s hand pushing and placing their arms, legs and head.
The guests were excellent. They fitted in seamlessly and reminded us of their own ad-lib skills. Julian Clary was deliciously camp and clever. The show finished in Edinburgh on August 19th, but as you can see below, it is going on tour from October.
This was a joyous occasion for all with laughter filling the Pleasance’s largest space. I have no hesitation in awarding Paul Merton and Suki Webster’s Improv Show, Five Stars from Theatrevibe, the site that doesn’t do stars.
Malcolm Beckett has been reviewing theatre since 2017
Production Notes
Paul Merton and Suki Webster’s Improv Show
Cast
Starring:
Paul Merton
Suki Webster
Mike McShane
Kirsty Newton
Special Guest: Julian Clary
Information
Running Time in Edinburgh 1 Hour
3.30pm at the Pleasance Grand
Tour Booking to March 2026
TOUR DATES
Basingstoke The Anvil
11th October 2025
Kingston, Rose Theatre
12th October 2025
PooleLighthouse
17th October 2025
Theatre Royal Winchester
18th and 19th October 2025
Guildford G Live
25th October 2025
Brighton Dome
26th October 2026
BirminghamTown Hall
31st October 2025
Cheltenham Everyman
2nd November 2025
Southend-On-Sea Palace Theatre
4th November 2025
Fareham Fareham Live
7th November 2025
Bexhill on Sea De La Warr
8th November 2025
Chester Storyhouse
21st November 2025
2026
Peterborough The Cresset
20th February 2026
Coventry Warwick Arts Centre
21st February 2026
Leicester De Montfort
22nd February 2026
Leeds City Varieties Music Hall
25th and 26th February 2026
Shrewsbury Theatre
27th February 2026
The Lowry
1st March 2026
Exeter Corn Exchange
6th March 2026
Truro Hall for Cornwall
7th March 2026
Weston-Super-Mare
Playhouse Theatre
8th March 2026
Tyne Theatre
Newcastle upon Tyne
11th March 2026
Pavilion Theatre Glasgow
12th March 2026
Aberdeen Music Hall
13th March 2026
Eden Court Theatre Inverness
14th March 2026
Royal and Derngate, Northampton
19th March 2026
Alban Arena, St Albans
20th March 2026
Richmond Theatre, London
22nd March 2026
Corn Exchange King’s Lynn
25th March 2026
Wyvern Theatre, Swindon
26th March 2026
New Theatre Cardiff
27th March 2026
Bath Forum Bath
28th March 2026
Reviewed by Malcolm Beckett
at the Pleasance GRAND Edinburgh
on 14th August 2025