by Mike Wade

twitter:@iomnewspapers

With a show coming to the island that features six comedians, no script, no material and just the local crowd to rely on for ideas for comedy sketches, this may sound like a recipe for disaster.

Thankfully, though, when the comedians in question include some of the finest improvisational funnymen around, you are guaranteed to have an eye-watering, side-splitting evening of spontaneous and surreal comedy.

Paul Merton and Chums will bring their ’improv’ show to the Gaiety Theatre on Sunday, April 14, from 8pm.

Joining Paul are long-time improv partners Mike McShane, Suki Webster, Richard Vranch and Lee Simpson, accompanied by pianist Kirsty Newton, with most of them having appeared in the Channel Four TV show’ ’Whose Line Is it Anyway’, which saw the comedians reacting and adlibbing at will to ideas shouted by the audience.

With no idea what would be coming up, the actors would have to make up comedy routines on the spot about any given subject.

By the time they reach the island, they will be five dates into a 46-night UK tour, ending with a run of shows at the Edinburgh Festival, and Paul says he is relishing the chance to get back on stage in front of a live audience and with his old partners.

’With performing improvisational comedy on TV shows like Whose Line Is It Anyway, there was always the suggestion that it was occasionally rigged or edited in a certain way,’ said Paul.

’However, with the live theatre show, it is obvious that we are purely responding to the things shouted out by the audience.

’When someone shouts out something like "A horse passing his driving test", and then the next thing you know we are all acting out a horse taking a driving test, you know that is genuine improv comedy, and we are creating it together on the stage.

’There are three of us who were together for that show, which first went out nearly 30 years ago now, and we are still working together. We know each other very well, and that really helps the communication on stage.

’The other night I was doing something Shakespearean, and I threw away a sword I was holding, towards Lee Simpson.

’Right away, he made out that he had been impaled on this mimed sword I’d thrown towards him. He just instantly reacted to something unexpected. Things like that are very gratifying, when as a team you all work off each other.’

Paul is famous for his lightning-quick wit and the ability to riff hilariously on almost any subject, as can be heard on the BBC news quiz ’Have I Got News For You’ and Radio 4’s ’Just A Minute’.

It is clear that he still likes the spontaneity of improvisation over performing scripted stand-up shows.

’The difference between this and a written show is that the latter takes a lot of pre-thought and hard work, and if you’ve got a bit that doesn’t work, you think "how am I going to fix that?".

’With improv, there are no bits to worry about because they don’t exist yet.’

Generally speaking, there are no limits to what an audience can shout out when asked for ideas, although Paul, who is also currently filming a new series of ’Have I Got News For You’, has created one caveate for this current tour.

’At the start of each show on this tour, I say there are two subjects we don’t want to touch, and that is Brexit and Donald Trump.

’That actually gets a cheer from the audience. I think they are delighted to be away from it.

’Besides, I don’t think I can think of anything funny to say about Brexit anymore, that is as if to say there was anything funny to say about it in the first place.’

Paul and his co-adlibbers are currently touring around Northern Ireland, crammed into a mini-bus, and will make their way to the island from Derry.

’I’m looking forward to coming back to the island said Paul, who has previously performed a similar improv show many years ago, and also a show dedicated to the work of silent movie stars.

’A lot of people say that you have a very nice theatre, the Gaiety, and a lot of people say how lovely it is. We’re looking forward to performing in there.’

Tickets for Paul Merton and Chums are £23.50, available form the Welcome Centre and the Villa Gaiety box office, on 600555, and online from villagaiety.com