Eleanor Conway's Midnight Rumble

• Miriam Sturdee
• 3 September 2012

This article is from 2012

Conway turns fatigue into an art form in hilarious midnight show

Moving up in the world of Fringe, Conway returns to form with a new format, a new venue and a host of guests hot off the press including wrestling legend Mick Foley, hilarious newcomer Dana Alexander and the pick of the best of rest – from hidden stars of the the free fringe to big names who wouldn't be out of place in a venue 10 times the size.

Midnight Rumble engages with the audience in a way that several improv shows might take tips from, oft times the heckling is as funny as the guest's patter. Each show requires a willing 'Round Girl' (or boy), a secretary, and a selection of your deepest secrets or most hilarious incidents. Reminiscent of early Graham Norton (albeit sexier) and hurling bags of energy around the room, Conway shows that it is possible to maintain an almost sold out show for the entire run, whilst turning fatigue into a comedy art form.

That's not to say that there isn't room for improvement – the size of the venue can limit the very personalities it tries to showcase, but the high production values and never-ending enthusiasm of the audience lifts 'Rumble whenever the mood threatens to take a downward turn. There's a lot to be said for tempting in the malleable late crowds, and the laughter is contagious. Midnight Rumble is probably the most fun you can have in a portacabin. Catch the show in London this Autumn, before it gets snapped up by ruthless television execs.