Showstopper! The Improvised Musical: A Comedic Performance That Never Stays The Same

About Showstopper! The Improvised Musical

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical is unlike any musical you’ve ever seen. In fact it’ll be different every single time you go see it. 

That’s because Showstopper! is an improvised musical, which means the entire direction of the show will be decided by the members of the audience. Everything from the musical style to the setting will be yelled out by audience members as suggestions which the performers will incorporate into the performance. 

The Show

The show I attended was titled “Ang Moh in Ang Mo Kio” a suggestion from an audience member that was furiously applauded by everyone else. The story follows Cathy, a Chicken Rice seller with red hair that captures the heart of almost every man she meets. Louie, the boss of the hawker centre confesses his love for her only to be rejected. 

Scorned and humiliated, Louie banishes Cathy from Ang Mo Kio hawker centre and she is forced to hide in the Singapore zoo and disguise herself as an Orang Utan. There she overthrows a matriarch and thwarts Louie’s attempt to incorporate Orang Utan meat into his Dim Sum.  It’s completely off-the-rails and no one really knows how it ends, even the performers themselves! It’s amazing how the actors managed to incorporate the audience’s suggestions from story points to musical styles. The action on stage occasionally stops so the audience can suggest changes which are instantaneously put to work by the actors. 

You can even tweet about where you think the story will go during the intermission and the best suggestions get incorporated into the show!

Music

The improvisers can not only act, but sing too. The styles vary based on suggestions at the very start of the show so it can range from the dramatic style of The Phantom of the Opera to something more romantic like Beauty and the Beast. It’s a pretty amazing feat to pull off, and even more fun to watch. 

Final Verdict

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical is a truly unique experience. The ability to craft your own story and see it take shape right in front of your eyes is engrossing, especially when it goes in a completely unexpected direction. The cast delivered a fantastic show and I couldn’t find a single furrowed brow or a face in the audience – the sign of entertainment done right. Get your tickets here!

Rating: 10/10
When: 28th April – 2nd May (7.45 pm)
Where: SOTA Drama Theatre 
Price: $98, $78, $58 

Bonus: The Fantastical Story Factory – Improv musical for kids!

The Showstopper! crew will also be performing a kid friendly version of their show which will follow the same format of their regular performances. There are only three shows so get your tickets quickly! 

When: 1st – 3rd May (3pm)
Where: SOTA Drama Theatre
Price: $38, $48, $58

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This post is brought to you by ABA Productions & Showstopper Productions Limited.