Review: Smile, It Might Never Happen, Fringe 2025

Smile, It Might Never Happen is an improvised musical by Game Called Chat Improv.

Based on the anxieties of an audience member, the four-person cast and their pianist spin a story of fear and hope into a full-blown musical extravaganza, packed with silly characters and a surprising amount of plot.

When Improv Gets Personal

The premise of the show is simple yet high-risk: ask an audience member for their most pressing anxiety and then build a musical around it. The night I saw it, the volunteers were a visiting American, a woman who worked in climate change investigations at NASA, and her companion, an Irish security worker. They were brave enough to share, and the resulting story was a wild ride. The show created a truly unique narrative, with characters like “Rachel the Gossip” and a thinly veiled Elon Musk stand-in, “Elon Tusk.” The story took an unexpected turn when Tusk’s plan to deport anyone with Irish or Scottish ancestry was thwarted by the President himself, who discovered his own Scottish roots. The climax was a stand-out moment, with Rachel the Gossip becoming President and the audience giving the cast a standing ovation.

The Cringe and the Comedy

The show’s strength lies in its ability to navigate the fine line between cringe and comedy. There were moments of pure genius where the cast’s quick-thinking and musical talent shone through, bringing the different plot threads together in a wonderfully coherent way. However, there were also brief moments where the improv fell apart, creating an awkward fumble that felt a little awkward. While some might find this sort of unpolished, raw performance endearing, it’s not for everyone. The initial premise of building a musical around a stressful topic is a clever idea, but a more lighthearted fear might have provided a better starting point for the show, keeping the vibe more upbeat and less prone to dipping into what felt like a weird soap opera at times.

Overall

Smile, It Might Never Happen is a high-wire act of an improv show. When it works, it’s brilliant, with the cast’s chemistry and musical prowess creating a unique and entertaining experience. When it doesn’t, it’s a little awkward, but never for long. If you’re a fan of improv and willing to take a chance on a show that could go anywhere, you’ll likely enjoy it. This is an excellent example of the art form, and while I’ve seen better improv, I’ve seen a lot worse, too.