Luke Kempner in Gritty Police Drama: A One-Man Musical ★★★★

Brooding UK police dramas seem to plaster the nation’s screens of late. It’s almost impossible to turn on the TV without encountering images of grim-faced policemen hauling a prime suspect over the coals in a harshly-lit interview room, or the ubiquitous bent copper being unmasked as the real culprit. Yet what if it were possible to combine the likes of Line of Duty, Happy Valley and Luther to form a super show, which features a host of other celebrities – and is also a musical? For that is what Luke Kempner – Gritty Police Drama: A One-Man Musical sets out to deliver.

Kempner is one of the UK’s leading young impressionists whose career spans both stand-up and TV. His latest Fringe offering hangs off the premise that James Corden has been murdered – this news generated an interesting reaction from the audience… – by a gang of celebrity drugs dealers. An uber-squad of TV detectives (and assorted other celebrities who would never normally ever be associated with police dramas) is assembled to solve the crime and catch the culprits. And additionally, significant chunks of the performance are set to modified versions of show tune classics whilst Kempner endeavours to deliver 60 different impressions in just an hour.

This frothily-surreal plot arc provides the perfect vehicle for Kempner to showcase his considerable talents as a mimic. Some of his impressions – such as Idris Elba, Louis Theroux, and Donald Trump (here on the wrong side of prison bars) – are uncannily accurate. Others don’t quite hit the mark – it’s never a good idea to attempt the likes of Frankie Boyle somewhere where the audience is likely to be substantially Scottish. The singing sections too are extremely well delivered, understandable given the Kempner started his career in musical theatre.

The show succeeds in delivering a panto-esque hour of laughter. However, maybe if the plot had been a little stronger and the number of impressions somewhat fewer, the result might have been really arresting.