When a highly skilled improv troupe like PlayShop announces a show called Christmas Actually it’s hard not to jump to the conclusion it will be an improv format structured something like Love Actually – summarised on Wikipedia as “shown through ten separate stories involving a wide variety of individuals, many of whom are shown to be interlinked as their tales progress.” But it’s never a good idea to come to a show with preconceptions.

A Dickensian Narrator (Jonny Paul) cajoles us to wish three times for a Christmas Story but the expected ‘ask fors’ are not asked for. It turns out that Christmas Actually is a devised and rehearsed show. Based on a concept by Lori Leigh and Sam Irwin, who is also the script-editor and producer, it is directed by Hilary Penwarden. I’m told there are elements of improv involved on the night (not that we’d know), there is minimal audience involvement and it’s clearly pitched at office workers.

The premise is that the head of HR for Scrooge Co, Carol Bell (Pippa Drakeford-Croad), has made this year’s non-alcoholic Christmas Eve “FUNction” mandatory for all staff. Her much put-upon Intern, Rudy Deeren (Tom Hutchison) is supposed to manage the schedule of activities which are the means by which we get to know the amusingly-named staff members.

It is soon established that Kris Mass (Alayne Dick) is in love with Kandy Kane (Lori Leigh) but despite rehearsing her declaration speech she’s unable to spit it out when given the opportunity, even though Leigh makes it really clear that Kandy fancies Kris. The biggest laugh, for an audience of PlayShop loyalists, comes when Kris quips, “I hate improvising.”

Mary Nazarov (Clara Kerrison) is heavily pregnant; no prizes for guessing where this will go. Beryl O’Laff (Aaron Pyke) is a cringe-worthy compendium of Christmas cracker ‘jokes’. Solo mum Vicki Pudding (Harriet Hughes), whose son is home alone, is on a quest for sex.

Knotty Pines (Sam Irwin) hates his job but has to suffer it – until fate, or rather HR, determines otherwise. And ex-SAS soldier Alf Norpole (George Fenn), the only person on duty in the call centre, mentors Vicky’s son and is delighted to rise to the challenge of fixing the faulty electrics.

It all plays out with the rhythm and flow of a well-modulated improv show, utilising many of that genre’s tropes, except we know it’s predetermined so we don’t get the thrill of seeing them evolve scenarios from our inputs and riff off each other’s spontaneous offers.

The relationship-plotlines do develop, amid such activities as Christmas Crafts which requires trips to the stationery cupboard (nudge, nudge). A song – “We don’t need a reason / To get amongst the season” – delivers a message of sorts. An isolated Carol has a flashback to her childhood … The cast all have an innate sense of how to perform and deliver a gag but eventually the thinness of the characters let alone arcs of major progression, and the lack of dynamic action (despite Alf’s efforts) that resonates thematically beyond itself does dilute its value as a play.  

What lifts it, just in time, is a surprising and dramatic turn from Carol that flips her HR professionalism and subverts all expectations of where a Christmas story might go. It’s an effective set-up for the advent of a brighter future – the anticipated neo-nativity scene – and the sudden appearance of the boss, Scrooge (Jonny Paul). Without our having been introduced to him and his attitudes beforehand (i.e. knowledge of the Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is a prerequisite), Scrooge is obliged to deliver a report of the offstage visitations that have resulted in the revelation which now drives the play’s clumsily crafted resolution.

The publicity quotes from James McKinnon’s review of an improv show they did in the 2015 Fringe, 10 Things I Hate about Us: “Playshop achieve a challenging and rewarding balance of hilarious gags and emotional investment.” I feel that, despite the gentle humour this amiable a bunch of talented performers delivers, Christmas Actually has yet to inspire that essential emotional investment.

On the other hand, as a light one hour show starting at 6.30pm, it’s may well prove just the ticket for kicking off a staff social-club Christmas outing. 

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