A musical troupe of six west end actors comes onto the stage with just their voices, their dynamic presence and a couple of guitars. Yet the blend of their voices creates a wall of sound you might expect from a large choir. We are presented with the simple, driving shanty drumbeat, and a collection of famous pop songs and legendary musical theatre hits that most people know very well. And all of these ballads and musical excerpts have been “shantified”. What does this mean? Well, Jo Parsons had the original idea during the lockdown whilst stranded in Cornwall. The basis of the idea was to experiment with applying the musical style of sea shanties to well-known contemporary songs.
The show starts with a great energy from the 6 actors, and the energy carries the show seamlessly from moment to moment. The harmonies and musical ideas are cleverly conceived, with an extraordinary version of Sweeney Todd – the title track; and an exquisite arrangement of Fleetwood Mac’s Go Your Own Way. You don’t need to be a trained musician to appreciate the talent this team has. Both the writers and performers have collaborated to make a highly entertaining piece of musical theatre.
It is said that time flies when you’re having fun. And with this in mind, the show seemed to be over too soon – though the duration was certainly the full hour.
The audience is visibly in the groove of the beat as they nod their heads and rock their bodies to the driving beat, and the high energy of the performances doesn’t let anyone take a moment to lose focus on the action on stage. There are a few entertaining moments of audience participation, but nothing at all to be afraid of. These gents are true gents. And they support each other and give great focus to each other as you would expect from a cast of experienced West End actors.
I get the impression that this show could be performed almost anywhere, as the props and set are minimal. And the heart of the show is in the “shantification” of the music, along with the collaboration and presence of the actors. I don’t think the show is for a large theatre, as it might risk losing its charm. However it is still in its early days, so there’s plenty of potential.
Shantify! Assembly Rooms, 13.00, untiil August 25
