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★★★★★
At last year’s Edinburgh Fringe, I was wowed by the comedy talents of Pinch Punch Improv: the masterminds behind ‘Locomotive for Murder: The Improvised Whodunnit’. For those unfamiliar, it is an improvised murder mystery which sees a detective solve a murder on a 1920s long-distance train. The destination, potential suspects and circumstances are different for every performance and the company builds the hilarious personas directly from the audience’s suggestions. When I heard that the group were going to be presenting a longer, two act version of the show as part of the 2025 Brighton Fringe, I was intrigued to see how the production would scale. They were also scheduled to perform at the Brighton Open Air Theatre, which in turn has its challenges being an outside venue, and I am pleased to report that it is a resounding success. Our 1920s train journey to Venice via the South Pole was nothing short of eventful, in true Pinch Punch style!
Stronger as a two act piece
When I watched the production in Edinburgh I thought the format was incredibly enjoyable, but found the improvisational elements to be slightly too ambitious with so many audience suggestions. It was a lot to achieve in 60 minutes and it held this back from being a 5-star show for me. In the longer version the company takes even more prompts from spectators, but the extended running time makes the show more evenly paced. In addition to taking the form of a classic whodunnit, it becomes a clever character-focused piece that you cannot wait to see develop. Ultimately, finding out who actually committed the crime is a by-product of the overall creativity and it is the individual storylines which make the show. Highlights were Angela Eyton’s Lady Calamity Pearl who is proud of her family’s Mersea Island oysters and David Fenne’s Hemma ‘Hem’ Broidery who has decided to pursue woodwork instead of fine embroidery. Pinch Punch’s commitment to detail in their improvisational style is nothing short of astounding.
Open air setting
The format works extremely well outside in the amphitheatre-inspired location. There are no microphones or amplification, with detective Cliff Hanger (Sam Martin) coming to the front of the stage and directly engaging with the audience from the very start of the performance. However, the interaction elements are always carefully considered and whilst suggestions are encouraged, you can absolutely just enjoy the show without saying a word. Additionally, the cast never look lost on the Brighton Open Air Theatre stage, with the physicality of the storytelling allowing 1-5 people to really command the performance space.
An improvisational triumph
Pinch Punch are masters at their craft. Their performance style requires extremely rapid thinking and when watching, you can’t help but appreciate the depth of the performers’ talents. The company has now finished its 2025 Brighton Fringe run, but you can catch the production at Gilded Balloon in Edinburgh this August. If you’d like to hear more about this fantastic show, check out my interview with company member Lottie Davies.
Thanks for reading my blog today.
Love Kat xxxx
*My ticket for ‘Locomotive for Murder: The Improvised Whodunnit’ was gifted in exchange for an unbiased review.
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