If you fancy a night of side-splitting silliness and hysterical howling, Sh!t-faced Showtime presents A Pissedmas Carol is the R-rated alternative to a Christmas panto that we didn’t know we needed.
A multi-talented team of creatives has come together to put on a brilliant show, with Katy Baker doubling as director and actor, James Murfitt producing and starring not to mention the rest of the cast of this particular night multi-rolling their socks off; Dan Quirke, Hal Hillman, Lucy Sutton and John Mitton as the constant but nonetheless adaptable Scrooge.
If you haven’t heard of Lewis Ironside, Chris Snelson, and Sh!t-faced Showtime’s concept before, it is exactly what it sounds like. A retelling of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol but one cast member is sloshed. If you are wondering, “how do you tell which one is drunk?”... You can tell. Creative Director Issy Wroe Wright doesn’t miss a trick in this production.
The improvisational skills of the cast are, without a doubt, hilarious. There were no missed opportunities, everyone said yes… all the time, even if it resulted in some very nonsensical naughtiness.
If that wasn’t enough of a fun take on Dickens, they have also thrown in some Christmas bangers and pop culture hits to sweeten the deal and showcase the stunning vocals of the cast. Particularly impressive vocals from Lucy Sutton and Dan Quirke, despite the inebriation of the latter.
Audience participation can always sound a bit scary but this is the kind of show you want to get involved with, and let’s be honest, if you are given some jingle bells or a car horn, you’re going to want to sound them. The set and the costume, lit by Jess Davies, were magical, not too much and not too little.
The beauty of the improvisation that is inevitable when a cast member is drunk on stage is that this show will never be the same, despite the reigns that these professionals have on the chaos. So, it is worth sharing some of the highlights that resulted from Dan Quirke’s spirited spooks: Fraulein Cratchitt, a possessed Belle, and Scrooge’s testicular troubles. If that doesn’t pique your interest, then I do not know what will.
It runs until 7 January.
Review: Vivienne King