Six women of varying ages stand around the Space’s dancefloor stage, picked out in spotlights.  They begin to emanate noises and snatches of song that could come from native languages, from skat, there’s some beatboxing, chitter, chatter, sounds.  It gradually drifts into a monologue about, ‘Cradling the memery of you in my waxen heart.’ We appear to be close to very challenging territory. This is looking like going in one direction only. Improv hell.

But, they introduce themselves as Pascol, from London.  The group is led by founder Sasha Gefen — a musician, composer, and music therapist. She is joined on stage by Phoebe Osborne, Claudia Marques, Namvula Rennie, Vera Raskina and Monique DeBose. It’s their first ever Fringe performance: ‘An experimental vocal performance that invites the audience into a collaborative, immersive space.’ That’s improv to you and me.

They claim that, ‘In this space, vulnerability and celebration merge, and the boundaries between us dissolve.’ To achieve this semi spiritual mindspace the audience is invited to share stories that the group will improvise in their unique experimental style and so, we do.

Tonight they are asked to sing about a fraught house move, an ex-partner trying to kill an audience member’s daughter (bold), Hibs pumping Hearts 7 – 0 on New Year’s Day, 1973, a woman urinating on her friends neck, also on New Year’s Day, in the Atlantic Ocean off Iona, and an improv trip to an open mic night in a bookshop.

This tests their mettle and they largely emerge triumphant. OK, so this is NOT Baby Wants Candy or Showstoppers, but it has a certain acapella charm that you certainly won’t find anywhere else on the Fringe.

It’s certainly experimental, but that was what it said on the tin.  Clearly this cannot possibly be everyone’s cup of tea, but the small audience that sampled this unique brand of improv left the theatre with a new form of artistry to share with their freinds, largely positively.

Pascol – Vocal Performance is at Upper Theatre at theSpace @ Niddry St until Sat 29 Aug 2026