If 2020 proved anything, it is that not even a global pandemic can completely stop theatre. Yes, it’s been different for a while and will probably continue to be so for the foreseeable, but with the innovation and creativeness of the incredible people who work within the theatre industry, using the world wide web as a stage has become the ‘new normal’. With the Goes Wrong Show, a summer outdoor tour of their improvised show and the release of Peter Pan and A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong, Mischief Theatre have made us laugh throughout the year, giving us an escape when we all needed it most. Although they may have had to close their in-person shows once again, thanks to the internet, they had us laughing right into the new year. 

Live-streamed from their secret comedy bunker, Mischief Theatre brought their smash hit Mischief Movie Night directly into our homes with five days of brand-new improvised shows this festive week. With suggestions from the audience watching at home and director Oscar (Jonathan Sayer) trying to keep an element of control, the team consisting of Henry Lewis, Bryony Corrigan, Dave Hearn, Henry Shields, Mike Bodie, Lauren Shearing and Harry Kershaw devise a brand-new movie on the spot with hilarious results, in a period drama piece entitled ‘Cat in the Habit’. 

If you have seen any of Mischief Theatre’s work in the past, you will know just how funny the team are. They work so well together and a great deal of fun doing so, which makes it all the more enjoyable to watch. Whilst they try to work out what the others are going to do or say next, a sense of chaos and silliness takes over. This period drama is about a young nun called Sister Celeste (Lauren Shearing) and a local stable boy called Charlie (Dave Hearn) who are searching for what they want from life. Whilst being told what to do by Sister Penelope (Bryony Corrigan) and Charlie’s father (Mike Bodie), we are soon introduced to a flurry of madcap characters determined to take back control over the two young lovers. We have crazy horses, strange monsters designed to suck the devil out of souls and the only bible left in the entire world!

The story created in this live-streamed improvised production may not have made that much sense but it doesn’t matter. It’s all about the comedy, the moments that no one sees coming and the strange twists and turns that the cast come up with at the drop of a hat. As Oscar, Jonathan Sayer tries to maintain control (and keep it clean!) as he pauses, rewinds and jumps to a director’s cut, to show offsides mentioned within the story. As the plot drifts more and grows crazier, he becomes more animated and frustrated, giving in to laughter as the team create the movie. After a week of new movies being made each day, a couple of running jokes filter through each one, such as trying to prevent another blood bath plot twist, Harry Kershaw’s inability to remember any of the characters names and an interesting choice of green screen back drops. 

Mischief Movie Night is a laugh-a-minute adventure into the unknown with a brilliantly talented cast making it up as they go along. It takes a team as tight knit as this one to be able to achieve something like this and be able to trust one another enough to make it all up on the spot - that’s the genius of the Mischief Team. You cannot help but laugh and love this company and after the year we had in 2020, we need as much laughter as we can get!

***** Five stars

Reviewed by: Rebecca Wallis

If you missed out on this week of improvised movies, don’t worry Mischief Makers, the team will be back in their comedy bunker with ten more movie nights, live-streamed into our homes from Saturday 23 January. To book tickets, please click here.

Please note: this review also features on blog site Musical Theatre Lives In Me.