Hoopla! is an improvised comedy show akin to Whose Line Is It Anyway? but with better jokes and a much more attractive compere than Clive Anderson. Zany, poetic and contemporary, the hour of entertainment flies by.
Audience participation in the Scottish capital proved to be somewhat difficult and a translator was brought in to decipher the local accent for the Southern performers. The audience is an integral part of the show and everyone is encouraged to join in by interrupting with new instructions and ideas.
The tram works in Edinburgh became a popular audience suggestion for satire and the eventual scene involved Keanu Reeves looking for Sandra Bullock on a German tram which couldn’t go below 20 miles an hour. Another audience favourite turned out to be “George” – an amalgam of all the actors who spoke and moved as one. The audience had to converse with the “Geolography” teacher in unison which was really difficult and led to some unexpected responses.
A personal preference was for the Disney World abduction scene which took the participants on a journey through the underground vaults beneath the California resort.
The great thing with improvisation is, the whole show will be different every day and so you can return again and again especially since the production incorporates a rotating cast of 16 talented young performers.
The show is free but contributions are happily accepted to cover running costs and expenses. Be warned though, a diet coke at Fingers Piano Bar cost £2. Click here for more details about the show.
Linda Haywood has interests in current affairs, fashion and music. 
