REVIEW: MIXED OMENS, Camden Fringe at Etcetera Theatre 31 July; 6 & 10 August 2024

‘This play succeeds in its use of Gaiman’s fantastical tropes’ ★★☆☆☆

Fans of improvised theatre will know that half the excitement for attending a show like this is the knowledge that no two nights are the same. There is appeal in the drama of a play being written right in front of you, and as an improviser myself, I was keen to see a new – and indeed niche – style of long form. Directed by Stephen Davidson, Mixed Omens is structured around the tropes of dark fantasy novelist Neil Gaiman. Davidson’s cast of improvisers builds a stylised story using a single prompt: a quiet activity that can be performed alone. Before this, the audience chooses an object – a lock, a flower or a feather – to determine the actor playing the protagonist. Last night’s prompt was ‘boggle,’ which unfortunately served little purpose to the action or the dialogue in the play.

Where this play succeeds is in its use of Gaiman’s fantastical tropes. The show opened with a monologue rooting its players in a supernatural forest, accompanied by a movement piece where the ensemble sported mystical masks, glittery makeup and iridescent fabrics. Gaiman’s love of creepy crawlies was honoured with a fly being enveloped by woodlice named ‘Cheesibus’ and ‘Teesibus,’ who lived in an oak tree and reported back to their master, The Darkness. The company’s commitment to Gaiman’s complex mother-daughter relationships resulted in a confusing storyline, which concluded with almost all of the characters being related in one way or another. The closing epilogue delivered heightened fantastical language, underscoring the villain’s undoing alongside smooth lighting transitions from the tech box. 

While any form of improvisation is undoubtedly impressive, Mixed Omens does more to satisfy the Gaiman genre than it does to deliver improv with wit or story. Despite promised spontaneity and unexpected twists, there were physical moments that felt overly rehearsed and therefore detracted from the story as a whole. Had the company focused less on these seemingly premeditated segments and rather embraced the raw and chaotic energy of the format, the show might have better captured the authenticity that makes improv so compelling.

Audiences can be assured that while the nature of the show might elicit adult content, the company chose to ignore recent abuse allegations made against Neil Gaiman. Of course, the show promises to be different every night, so fans of Coraline, Good Omens or Norse Mythology could well enjoy its subsequent performances.

Mixed Omens is presented by The Improvised Play

Etcetera Theatre

31^st July; 6^th & 10^th August 2024

Box office: https://camdenfringe.com/events/mixed-omens/

Cast: Stephen Davidson, Invi Brenna, Karolina (Karo) Kriks, Chris Mead, Jon Nguyen, Ashara Peiris, Avril Poole, Teresa Senyah, and Kiran Shah

Reviewer Bio

Imo Redpath is a writer and actor for theatre, radio and TV. She graduated from an MFA in Scriptwriting at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and her plays ‘Foxes & Rabbits’ and ‘Pigs’ are currently in development. She writes a comedy blog on Substack about living with ADHD in London.