Last night at the ADC Theatre, Hot Cross Men exploded onto the stage for their completely improvised one night stand. Each a whirlwind of energy, Colin Rothwell, Ted Hill, and Haydn Jenkins provided the audience with an evening of pure, shambolic hilarity which did not disappoint.

The trio performed a series of improvised sketches loosely based on the work of their guest ‘monologist’ and comedian, Ken Cheng, who riffed a little from an audience suggestion to give the performers a base to work from. Every scene they produced had at least one moment of sheer brilliance, with an unbelievable set up, a clever call-back to a previous joke, or just a hysterical character or two. With the likes of Andy Murray, Theresa May, and Severus Snape appearing on stage, in locations which ranged from St John’s College to ‘The North’, it was impossible not to laugh constantly.

"So full of laughs that it never once dipped in energy"

I am always impressed by improv but this was especially well executed. The ability to create hilarious sketches and characters in an instant is a skill which I both admire and envy, and one which Hot Cross Men have in abundance. It is always an achievement to construct a coherent improv show, but to have one that was so full of laughs that it never once dipped in energy is certainly something to be celebrated. The fact that few, if any, jokes failed to land, is testament to the strength and skill of each of these performers and their natural comic talent. Their ease and rapport was evident from the start, and it really did seem that they were having fun on stage - something that is always wonderful to see.

"Hot Cross Men had us laughing so loudly that it seemed as though there were three times as many people in the room"

In a half empty auditorium, Hot Cross Men had us laughing so loudly that it seemed as though there were three times as many people in the room. This was largely the result of the performers rearranging the audience immediately after entering, so that we were all grouped towards the front of the seats – an excellent decision that definitely enhanced our viewing experience and enjoyment. It really was a shame that this show didn’t sell out completely (exam season clearly being to blame) as it certainly deserved to. However, this meant little to us or to the performers, who held the stage with as much confidence and energy as if they were headlining an arena.

A special mention must also go to stage manager Emma Pruin and techie Liz Campbell for their intuitive transitions, which were just as improvised as the content produced by the performers, and never once felt anything less than professional.

Review: The Merchant of Venice

Improvised theatre is so unique and difficult to get right. But, it always produces something wonderful, whether or not it’s somewhat of a mess; not that these comedic characters need worry about that, it seems that they were born to do this. This show was truly a joyful and just plain fun experience, and if these talented performers work together again, I cannot recommend them highly enough