EDINBURGH 2023: Review: SHOOT FROM THE HIP, Underbelly, Bristo Square

Part of the long list of "viral" comedy acts debuting at the Fringe this year, Shoot From The Hip (Sam Russell, Tom Mayo, Alexander Jeremy, Luke Manning), the London based improv group whose videos of Improv shows have garnered them over a million views online, bring their brand of improvised comedy to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Opening their show with a series of improv games on stage, the group quickly introduce the audience to their brand of humour as well as their individual talents. By beginning the show this way the group immediately allow themselves and their individual comedy stylings to be presented one at a time, all the while allowing their cohesion as a unit to be on full display.

With each game comes their own rules and therefore their own chances to make us laugh. One game used a prompt of places, props, characters, relationships etc. from the crowd and as two actors played this out another member on stage could shout "change" which means that the actor delivering dialogue would have to go back and change what they had just said/done. This was a particularly good way to begin the afternoon's proceedings with some great scenes including a lawyer having to defend someone who he had just found out was guilty, a scene which naturally concluded with the judge licking the defendant's eyeballs (that's improv for ya). 

These games can be hit or miss depending on the game itself, your own personal tastes and of course depending on the prompts given from the audience, though there is no denying just how quick-witted and fast on their feet the whole gang are.

The show's climax comes in the form of a fake play in which - once again with prompts - the actors on stage must create a fake play with a beginning, a middle and an end. Admittedly this did feel as though it were the weakest portion of the show which is a shame as it lasted the longest, though the play will change every night so it is hard to say if it is a concept that doesn't work or just a bad night for prompts. However, that is not to say that the play wasn't funny, it most certainly had some highlights such as Luke Manning sucking on furniture and Sam Russell being asked how he knows his son is leaving him to reply with "well he's my son?" 

Ultimately, Shoot From The Hip is a night of comedy which changes every night and thus the quality of each show is different. Equally so, improv comedy and some of the humour is not for everyone, though there is no denying the clear talents of those on stage and with this in mind it must be said that Shoot From The Hip is a great hour of comedy.

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