As we take our seats musician Tane Upjohn-Beatson sets the mood with music in ‘medieval heroic’ style – nicely counterpointed by the arrival, on his hobby horse, of Greg Ellis as Roderick the Court Jester.

At this second performance of the season (to be played by a moveable feast of Improvisors), Kenny King plays the forgetful Knight who cannot even remember his name. An enterprising boy plucks his name from the ‘Try Me’ button on his ‘white charger’.

Sir Try Me’s amnesia has the effect of his appearing to block the offers (to use the improv jargon) being made by the Jester, rendering the initial exposition somewhat sluggish. But the premise does generate some good humour later and there is a good dramatic payoff in his regaining his memory.

Willy the Wizard (Thom McGrath) has caused the amnesia and an encounter with him sets the Knight and Jester off on a quest – abetted by audience offers – which confronts them with a series of problems to solve and obstacles to overcome, affording the third actor (McGrath in this case) opportunities to adopt a range of personae, from (at this performance) a cave-dwelling demon to a ballet-dancing princess – not to mention the horriblest creature of all: an advertising executive!

There is a recurring song that keeps track of events, Upjohn-Beatson’s music adds flavour throughout, as does Uther Dean’s operation of lights – and the return trip makes for a satisfying payoff for all the set-ups.

Good manners and especially the ‘p’ word are germane to the moral message. There is no doubt the audience both young and older, including me, enjoyed themselves. The Improvisors’ formula has worked again.
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