Soho Theatre, London – until 27 April 2024
Reviewed by Claire Roderick
4****
Luke Kempner promises 60 impressions in 60 minutes, but he may be the only one counting as the audience just sit back and enjoy the onslaught of police procedural drama clichés that he also manages to cram into this dynamic and often hilarious show.
A “beloved” TV personality has been murdered, and it’s up to Superintendent Ted Hastings to solve the crime. Calling on his team: Catherine Cawood from Happy Valley, Luther, Claudia Winkleman and an uncanny Louis Theroux, and Ian McKellen thrown in as well, investigations set them on the trail of an anti-aging drug ring. But who is the villain in charge – Jurgen Klopp, David Attenborough, King Charles or could it possibly be a bent copper?
Kempner gleefully trawls through the meeting around the suspect board, the suspect interviews and prison visits. A very unexpected prison governor and a glorious lampoon of Silence of the Lambs finds Louis Theroux walking down the corridor that houses the worst offenders on his mission to try to get into the mind of the drug kingpin. And instead of Hannibal Lector looming out of the dark, Theroux has a certain ex-president trying to outwit him.
Alongside the tenuous plot, Kempner showcases his singing talents with his characters launching into songs from Wicked, Phantom of the Opera and Aladdin – Catherine Cawood’s down-to-earth northern voice surprisingly soaring into falsetto as she duets with Luther!
The jokes arrive at breakneck speed, and this fast and furious approach sometimes trips Kempner up, but he endearingly acknowledges this and creates fresh laughs as he gets back on track showcasing his impressive repertoire of voices. This is a feelgood show that covers all the bases – comedy, impressions and musical theatre. An irreverent, gag-filled, hour well spent.