A musical one-hour show that’ll have you laugh till you cry, perfect for both new and seasoned musical improv fans
An improvised musical by a Game Called Chat Improv, Smile It Might Never Happen is a hilarious musical show based on a particular anxiety of an audience member, which is quickly spun into a traditional musical theatre style story: A plucky character pursues their dream, and along the faces hurdles and to their happily ever after.
Wasting no time, the five-piece (and accompanist) ensemble find their inspiration in a participant I’ll call ‘K’, a man who reacted a little too slowly to the audience being asked to shout out their biggest current worry. The group’s ability to keep the mood light was admirable as they eked out ‘K’s short answers: What his worry? Why is he moving jobs? And the revelation he was present with family members. The group snappily delivered joke after joke to this world-building information.
Their interview complete, the group introduced their story in a wistful opening number: A lazy man called ‘K’ dreams of escaping his busy property job in London for a life in Surrey; “doing the least amount of work for the most amount of pay”- an aspirational dream for us all.
The group were all excellent singers as they performed with ease to the melodies and key changes their accompanist performed. Their ability to deliver beautiful harmonies to support the solo songs of their castmates was wonderful to watch, especially as the girl playing ‘K delivered a heartfelt number doubting if her lazy dream could ever come true in her sweet soprano.
The great strength of the group which carries the show through is their ability to create really quirky characters marked out with distinctive traits. One example being the hapless bosses at ‘K’s dream workplace. A pair of bosses so lazy they employ a manservant to hold their phone during calls and engage in rapid-fire conversations over what the ideal lazy employee looks like. The two resembling that who is full of big ideas and energy but passes the work onto a long-suffering assistant.
One cast member stood out in particular for a hilarious and creative performance. Juggling three distinct roles as ‘K’s mother-in-law, his current boss, and the manservant at Big House, his characterisation of each was seamless.
His mother-in-law was by far the funniest. Initially depicting her as a doggery northern old woman (a characterisation he mouthed apologies for toward the real, not elderly inspiration) who lent a supportive ear to her data-loving, London-forever, daughter’s horror at ‘K’s dreams. But as the pair later conspired on how to sabotage ‘K’s attempt to pursue his dreams, his castmate notes, “Mum, you’ve changed accents.” Transforming his character into a refined, elegant, panto-like villainous. This group member’s improv skills were gut-[unchingly funny as he plucked reasons from the air for the hapless bosses to not hire ‘K’: Ranging from he covered her in poo, shot a puppy, before condemning him for the worst offence… littering. A memorable performance.
While the cast kept the story moving along at a steady pace and hitting the required narrative songs, the show encountered the occasional falter where they struggled find where to go. This was strongest in the penultimate scene as ‘K’s wife tries to reach a conclusion as to why she would give up her own existing dream life, dragging out a spiel about a childhood story to the mother-in-law.
Overall Smile It Might Never Happen is a hilarious, heart-warming show. With a sharp cast who understand the stereotypical musical theatre plotline and milk their audience material for every funny drop of it, I have no doubt they will do well at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Great review. We’ve seen them twice at the Fringe and will see them again this year!