Gritty Police Drama A One-Man Musical. Soho Theatre.

Writer and Director: Luke Kempner

Comedian, actor, and impressionist Luke Kempner’s furiously paced Gritty Police Drama: A One-Man Musical sold out 36 shows at Edinburgh last year. It is easy to see why. The combination of first class mimicry, quality stand-up, visual gags, and Broadway songs makes for an engaging and often very funny fringe concoction, albeit one which is only fully accessible to those with an in-depth knowledge of British TV tropes. After a seven month hiatus Kempner brings the 60-minute piece to the Soho Theatre, much to the delight of a London fringe audience. It is frothy fun, just do not expect much by way of narrative.

Kempner spends much of the evening in the guise of Ted “I’m interested in one thing and one thing only and that’s bent coppers” Hastings from TV’s megahit Line of Duty. Kempner tells us “if you haven’t seen it, it’ll be a long hour”. True enough. A passing acquaintance with gritty crime dramas (“there are 738 of them on I-player” we hear) would help too, as would some knowledge of reality television exotica, the royal family, chat hosts, soccer and snooker punditry, and game shows. Kempner clearly loves celeb culture. Judging by the number of “Celebrity” shows he has been on it loves him in return. He loves musicals too and he sings beautifully: anticipate rewritten lyrics to the tunes of favourites from Phantom of The Opera, Aladdin, Wicked, and even (could it really be) Man of La Mancha.

A superstar TV chat show host has been murdered. Stabbed 23 times the victim “looks like the film of a microwavable lasagne”. Ted Hastings, aided by northern-plain-speaking-tough-cookie cop Catherine Cawood from Happy Valley and brilliant-but-emotionally-impulsive detective John Luther, from Luther, are there to help. Joining on the side of the thin blue line are various DCIs including the fringe-flicking Claudia Winkleman, an impeccably rendered Louis Theroux, and an inconceivably fruity-voiced Sir Ian McKellen.

Hastings is soon on the trail of a ruthless gang of anti-aging drugs vendors, led by Jeremy Clarkson with the able assistance of Sir David Attenborough (the show’s best impression), and King Charles (the show’s worst). A posh Mary Berry pops up as a prison governor in charge of the incarcerated cannibal Boris Johnson, whose similarity to Hannibal Lecter feels just right. Along for the ride anticipate, in no discernible order, Donald Trump, Bear Grylls, Jeremy Biggins, and Joe Wicks. Kempner promises 60 impressions in 60 minutes, which telegraphs quite how breathless and frenetic the entire piece is.  Think celebrity bingo.