Paul Merton is bringing his Impro Chums to the Liverpool Comedy Festival. Laura Davis meets the gang

PAUL MERTON is travelling light.

No scripts to learn, no props to pack, not even a pen and paper to carry.

And his mind is just as clear as his suitcase as he sets out on his current Impro Chums tour that’s stopping off at Liverpool’s Royal Court on May 10.

“I haven’t written a joke for 25 years,” laughs the comedian, who for the past quarter of a century has also been a pivotal member of that other hugely popular impro group, The Comedy Store Players.

“In Edinburgh one year, we were in a bar 20 minutes before the show was due to begin. We wanted to write down what impro games we would be doing in the show, but we realised we didn’t have a pen or paper. So we had to borrow the waiter’s pen and notepad.

“That’s the great thing about doing this show – there is no stress involved whatsoever.”

His pals on this tour are his wife and fellow comedian Suki Webster, Improbable theatre company artistic director Lee Simpson, Richard Vranch, the improvising pianist and guitarist on Whose Line Is It Anyway?, and American Mike McShane, who made his name on the same Channel 4 show.

“We have a common language,” reflects McShane.

“We know how to play to each other’s strengths. Also, if it goes belly-up, someone will cover you. The show plays very fast and loose, and you know it’ll get a little crazy out there. But deep in your heart you’re always aware that it’ll never fall apart – someone will stick their neck out and help you out.”

He adds that, “it’s a familiarity which helps the show rather than hinders it – it’s never leaden. It’s not a couple of actors getting together and saying, ‘Oh darling, do you remember when?’”

Webster chips in: “The only skill you have to learn for impro is don’t plan and don’t worry. The key is simply listening and reacting to what the other person has just said.”

Merton agrees that “planning doesn’t work because it throws the other performers, who don’t know what you’ve planned. It sounds very difficult and crazy to go on stage with nothing planned, but that is actually the show’s strength. We have all worked together for a long time and know we can rely on each other.

“As a performer, you can never be bored because you’ve never heard it before and you’re doing something that five seconds ago you didn’t know you were going to do. To paraphrase Samuel Johnson, if you are bored of impro, you’re bored of life!”

Audiences tend to be supportive of the show because they are well aware of how hard impro is, the Chums believe.

“They know it’s all made up, so they give us more licence,” McShane muses. “And if someone does something great, they really appreciate it. They’re on your side because they know how risky it is.”

The troupe has established a very loyal following.

“You never see tired impro, and that’s what audiences love,” reckons the Have I Got News For You team captain.

“At the Comedy Store Players, we’ve had the same people in the front row for years. We’ve even had marriages between fans. It’s great for them because they know it’ll always be different.”

PAUL Merton’s Impro Chums are at the Royal Court on May 10 as part of the Liverpool Comedy Festival.