Review: WHO DID IT? AN IMPROVISED MURDER MYSTERY at Phoenix Theatre of the UDC Theatre Of The Arts
WHO DID IT? AN IMPROVISED MURDER MYSTERY is a fun improv comedy show in which the audience plays a key role in setting up the murder scene, making each performance different and new. Performances continue through July 25 as part of District Fringe.
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District Fringe got off to a good start on July 10 with its first show of its second season: Who Did It? An Improvised Murder Mystery. The show put on by the ABComedy Lab (created and run by Erick Acuña and Mia Bloomfield) has previously won awards as the Best Comedy and Best of Fringe at the 2023 Capital Fringe festival and has been the headliner for Mystery Night at the Library of Congress.
Who Did it? is an improv comedy show in which the audience plays a key role in setting up the murder scene and supplying critical pieces of evidence for that particular performance. In that sense, each one of the shows (there are 6 performances in total during the District Fringe Festival) is completely different and new. For the performance I saw, the victim (a volunteer from the audience) was a Chemical Data Scientist, and the pieces of evidence included a keychain with a chicken nugget fob, a strap-on vest bike light and a package of sugar-free strawberry Jello. The hilarious comedy troupe, led by Mr. Acuña (who played an inexperienced police detective), served as the various suspects as well as another wisecracking detective. The ensemble is very talented at the improvisation aspect of the performance, cleverly weaving in humorous tidbits established earlier in the proceedings.
The show is funny, with some lines hitting better than others, but overall having a nice, cohesive flow for an improvised piece. The audience becomes thoroughly engaged in the mystery, which made the evening a fun experience. The company is deftly supported by a solid technical team.
Who Did It? An Improvised Murder Mystery plays at The Phoenix Theatre (Main Stage) of the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) Theatre of the Arts through Saturday July 25 as part of the District Fringe Festival, which runs July 10-26.
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