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★★★★★
One of the shows that I was absolutely gutted to miss at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2024 was ‘Shantify’: a new nautical-themed musical production which sees a group of West End stars perform sea shanty versions of popular songs. When I heard that it was back at the festival this year, I jumped at the chance to review the show at Assembly. Ever since I watched ‘Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical’ live on stage a few years ago, I have been obsessed with sea shanty songs and couldn’t wait to hear how the company would convert popular songs to the genre.
About the show
The show is set in Deal, Kent and centres on a group of local lads who run a coffee shop, restaurant and work as fishermen on the seafront. They each volunteer for the RNLI and as a group perform gigs at the local pub. Even though their lives have seen some of them leave for jobs in the big city or stay put, they always return to the seafront for a catch up and a song. From comments about DFLs (down from London’s) to quotes about local life, it was so refreshing to witness seaside life in Kent be the focus of the show. It makes the story so relatable.
Sensational sea shanties live on stage
The sea shanty style is such a novel concept and with such slick harmonies, ‘Shantify’ is exceptional from the very first note. What is so exciting about this production is you have no idea what songs they will “shantify” going into the venue, but the material covers pop, musical theatre and rock to name but a few genres. A highlight is a slight variation on a popular ‘Come From Away’ track, which honestly gave me goosebumps. They couldn’t have picked a more appropriate song to include!
A surefire hit of the Fringe
Featuring a recognisable story, phenomenal live music and a really fun group of characters, ‘Shantify’ is an absolute must-see at this year’s Fringe. I honestly believe that you could take this show straight to the West End, with very minimal changes. It will appeal to fans of ‘Fisherman’s Friends’, ‘Come From Away’, ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’ and ‘The Choir of Man’, as well as anyone who enjoys traditional sea shanty music. You can catch the show at the Palais du Variété venue at Assembly George Square Gardens until Sunday 24th August (not 12th). Performances start daily at 16:35, with tickets available via the festival’s website.
*My ticket for ‘Shantify’ was gifted in exchange for an unbiased review.
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