Dru Cripps @ Hoots Potterrow
Dru Cripps brings his undeniable charisma, prowess and talent to an improvised hour of clowning and musical mischief
This entire show is improvised. With such a disclaimer out the way, brace yourself for anything. From ska tracks lead by a therapist in the second row or a street performer hurling someone’s iPhone into the crowd, Juicy Bits is a show at the mercy of the audience.
Despite the myriad of caveats involved in this improvised musical clown comedy, this is a marvelously accessible show for anyone who wishes to enjoy the stream of consciousness pouring out of Dru Cripps. Every show will be a different voyage, each captained by the same face. Cripps is unsurpassed as a guide into the wonderfully absurd; expertly pushing against the urges to target the more obvious audience interactions, he seems engaged by the more fractious exchanges and uses them as his muse, dictating the show's dynamic.
The musical element is surprisingly sparse tonight, but this sees our performer instead leaning heavily on his clown instincts with many facets of his talents coming into play. Equal levels exacerbated and enthused, Cripps is a delightful host on stage, bouncing across the room – there’s mania in spades but the precision is undeniable. Anyone seeing Cripps becomes besotted by his effortless presence, as his many returning audience members will attest.
It’s a fast-paced comedy hour before the musical mischief finally consumes the remaining section. It could be argued that tonight’s audience doesn't lob any fresh fire on the camplight, but it’s consistent, reliable and sure to burn brighter on some nights more than others. As a musical spectacle Cripps flourishes, with improvised songs blossoming in front of you effortlessly – but the whimsy is what pronounces every night as a unique experience.
With countless weapons in his arsenal, Juicy Bits could easily become overly indulgent or distracted, but the entire hour is remarkably focused on the primary objective of being truly funny. Nobody can vouch for what tomorrow’s show will bring, but what’s unmistakable is the charisma, prowess and talent that seeps out of Dru Cripps.
Dru Cripps: Juicy Bits, Hoots at Potterrow (Big Yurt), until 31 Aug, 10.10pm, £11.50/£9.50