Scratch: The Reduced Edinburgh Fringe Impro Show

Five comedians and a pianist hear the words “Hitler Alone” and immediately leap onto the stage to improvise a fabulously hilarious all singing, all dancing musical.

Scratch are back with their popular improvised shows, which can incorporate any other Fringe act that one might choose. Like the TV show Whose Line is it Anyway, except with the audience holding the reins, this show begins in the queue outside when every audience member is instructed to pick a show from the Fringe programme.

Throughout the performance the audience’s show choices are randomly picked to form the basis of a variety of ingeniously improvised sketches. Inevitably there are times when the witty banter descends into utter nonsense but that is all part of the endearing fun.

The quick wit and cohesion of the six performers are extremely impressive and the group are entertaining throughout, but in particular the Hitler Alone musical gives individual members a chance to shine. While playing a British lady who does her bit for her country in foiling Hitler’s attack by seducing him, Ruth Bratt shows off a voice that seems made for the convincingly Cabaret-esque songs she herself composes on the spot.

The musical contains much less goose-stepping and German bashing than might be expected, as Scratch generally steers clear of offensive material and raunchy cheap laughs. If you are dubious about some of the Fringe acts on offer, fear not, Scratch is at hand and this lot can make any show ridiculously funny.