Improv is one of the most intricate forms of comedy to execute in any setting, but in the vast surroundings of the Hammersmith Apollo, it would surely require the masters of the genre to pull it off.
Enter Shoot From The Hip, the quartet who have fast risen to become one of the most successful improv troupes not just in Britain, but the world over.
Made up of Tom Mayo, Sam Russell-Holmes, Luke Manning and Alexander ‘AJ’ James, this group of improvisers are no overnight success; they have been putting in the hard yards to finesse their act for more than a decade now.
But a surge in popularity since 2022 has seen their popularity and fanbase grow to a level that means they were able to not just put on the biggest improv show in UK history, but sell it out.
The evening itself felt like a celebration of all that has propelled the quartet’s recent rise via social media clips. All of the fan favourite games were on display in Hammersmith.
Act I reeled off quickfire games like Change, Puppets and Time Warp, with the troupe as ever taking their lead from the supercharged audience. The prompts were just the right amount of weird and wacky for Shoot From The Hip to build upon.
On the night, we had a murderous gingerbread man (very slowly) chasing down his victims, a house party involving Shrek, an engineer of love and a magician in the middle of a trick, as well as a bizarrely brilliant scene involving a seagull and an eyeball.
The game Expert, where three of the troupe are being interviewed as one and each can only say one word of the sentence at a time, is the ultimate test in quick reactions. Here, the ‘expert’ had been crocheting bears from pasta. You get the vibe.
Act II was entirely dedicated to an improvised play, ‘The King of the Underground Orchestra’. Part of Shoot From The Hip’s success is, of course, their high-tempo energy and willingness to keep things fresh, but also their engaging personalities, with each member bringing something unique to the table.
Improv comedy is not for everyone but if you are going to be seduced by the genre, Shoot From The Hip is likely to be the act to lure you in. Their biggest show to date was a tubthumping celebration of the form and, from here, the sky really does seem like the limit.
For Shoot From The Hip’s upcoming tour dates and ticket information, see here.
Review: Tom Ambrose