A hilariously unique night of silliness, sharp wit and outrageous camp. Whose Turn? is riotous, raucous and ridiculously good fun.
Tucked away in the peaceful, postcard-perfect farmland setting of Clifton Reynes sits The Arches Theatre, quirky, quaint and entirely unique, like someone crossed a countryside hideaway with a secret comedy speakeasy. It’s the sort of venue where you can sit in the serenity of the fields… before the evening descends into full-blown comedic chaos. And descend it does, thanks to Whose Turn? – a gloriously unhinged improv show where no-one (least of all the performers) knows what on earth will happen next.
The premise is delightfully simple: comedians take turns acting out skits based on audience suggestions. A bell dings, time’s up, and the MC tries (usually in vain) to herd the unruly gaggle of comics back onto some semblance of track. What follows is clever, saucy, brazen, outrageous hilarity, the kind that makes you laugh, wince and choke on your drink all at once.
On the night we were treated to a three-headed “expert,” kitchen utensil impersonations, a fairy-tale news report, and an “every other line” sketch involving pills and a plunger (don’t ask, just watch).
Songs from the bartender-analyst had the crowd in stitches, while the alphabet game – each one-liner starting with the next letter – proved trickier than it sounds, and even funnier when it went gloriously wrong.
The favourite funny of the night? A gag about a cat toupee – clearly the conversation starter we’ve all been missing.
What makes Whose Turn? special is how the cast delight in stitching each other up, wringing comedy from the daftest of suggestions, and turning the boring into the brilliant. They’re having as much fun as the audience, and it’s infectious. Expect lots of belly-laughing, plenty of “did they really just say that?” moments and audience participation that’s cheeky fun rather than toe curling embarrassment (sit at the front, you’ll survive !).
Reviewed by:
I’m a proud MK resident of over 46 years watching it grow from a new town to a bustling business, social and cultural city.
I work in the NHS and enjoy an eclectic social life exploring everything Milton Keynes has in the diary.
