Toronto Fringe Review: Mirv-"ish": An Improvised Musical

What do you get when you mix improv, live music and an audience member’s suggestion?

The result is “An Improvised Musical” by comedy troupe Mirv – “ish”, made up of comedians Austin Anonsen, Mark Brown, Janek Gonsalkorale, Kara Harun, Victoria Kucher, Janelle McGuiness, Kendal Savage, and Rachel Sellan, coached by This Hour Has 22 Minutes writer and The Second City alum Ashley Botting. Sans script and sheet music, the members of Mirv –“ish”, adeptly craft the musical as it unfolds, successfully using a mere proposed topic as the basis for the one-hour performance.

Mirv – “ish”: An Improvised Musical is a unique musical that is centred around a single audience suggestion, selected from a pool of ideas that are shouted out by various people in the crowd. Accompanied by musical director James Atin on keyboard, the troupe masterfully choose when to sing their character’s thoughts and actions in between spoken dialogue. As someone who isn’t a big fan of musicals, I found that the amount of singing was not overly gratuitous, nor was it done in excess. Although, with standout vocals and well-blended harmonies from Harun, Kucher and Savage, it was easy to relax into the interspersed tunes and enjoy the multi-faceted show.

The stage’s setting is bare, with only two chairs present on the stage at any given time, Atin at the keyboard being the only permanent fixture. Void of tangible set pieces and props (save the chairs), it is a credit to stage manager Dave Koval and the troupe’s ability to paint scenes and settings so vivid, that its spectators are fully immersed in them.

With each scene able to stand independent as its own laugh-inducing sketch, the cast does a wonderful job of connecting them together to create a cohesive musical. A main part of the fun is in the audience’s suggested idea – changing daily – that brings a new and different production each show! Toward the end of the musical, there is a definite sense of resolution between all the previous scenes that comes about in a measured way. Be prepared to sing along to melodies formed on the spot - clap, laugh and enjoy a show that is never the same twice, as you take in Mirv – “ish”: An Improvised Musical.

Mirv - “Ish”: An Improvised Musical is on now until July 11 at the Toronto Fringe. Show times and tickets