Doctor Who has been with us for almost 60 years and has firmly established itself in the minds of science fiction and fantasy fans across the world. So it should come as no surprise that the show has inspired others to emulate and parody. It wouldn’t be the Edinburgh Fringe without an absolute load of improv comedy shows, hence Any Suggestions Doctor? – this improvised episode of Doctor Who has its tongue rammed firmly into it’s cheek but is also a pretty strong homage to the beloved and very British show.
The team we saw were five white guys who all looked they would fit in at a Doctor Who convention. The audience were invited to make a series of suggestions as to the location and the title of the ‘episode’ of Doctor Who that the team would invent on the spot. We also got to pick which of the team would be The Doctor for today. This is clearly one of the biggest thrills for the cast; after all, not many people get to claim that they’ve played The Doctor, even if that’s only ‘sort of’.
The show we saw picked the abandoned set of the recently ended TV series Neighbours as their location, and as the hour progressed, we got a long and winding story that could have easily matched anything you would see on a more modern episode of Doctor Who. The troupe are very familiar with Doctor Who, but are also very aware that not everyone in the audience is obsessed with the show.
The result is a mix of pretty straight forward gags and various levels of niche Doctor Who-related silliness. The show also has a great mix of props; obviously we have a TARDIS and console, but also a wide range of deeply silly hats and the sort of random oddly shaped objects that a skilled improviser can use to make anything. It’s funny, charming and very British.
The show is a little disjointed (even for improv), but mostly nails its niche. Any Suggestions Doctor is well worth the trip, though if you want to see the show we saw, you’ll need a TARDIS as it’s different every day. Superb Sonic Screwdriver Silliness.
Our interview with cast member Lewis Dunn can be found here and tickets can be booked via the Fringe website here.
