Cambridge Arts Theatre, Cambridge – until Saturday 29th April 2023
Reviewed by Steph Lott
5*****
The standing ovation from last night’s audience at Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical should tell you all you need to know about the quality of this production, which is a joyful, feel-good story of friendship, community and music. There are 17 sea shanties for you to enjoy, excellently performed by an extremely talented cast and supported by a versatile and clever band, who weave in and out of the action, always on stage with the action. This musical contains a heady mix of emotions and the cast truly take the audience there. There is amusement and bemusement, joy and despair, tragedy and, ultimately, triumph. Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical is a fantastic mix.
For those who don’t know the story and haven’t seen the film, it’s about a group of fishermen who are close friends, who sing sea shanties together and have done for many years. One day, whilst minding their own business singing on the beach in Port Isaac, Cornwall, they are spotted by jaded music executive Danny (played very nicely by Jason Langley). You’ll have to buy a ticket if you want to find out more about this charming real-life story of unlikely success. This stage adaptation of the 2019 film, written by Amanda Whittington and directed by James Grieve, is a fictionalised version of that story.
Lucy Osborne’s set is superb. The fishing boat, the lifeboat, the scenes by the sea in Port Isaac. The bus to London and the antics in Soho – the audience are skilfully and smoothly transported to all these locations by her ingenious set.
I also really enjoyed Matt Cole’s choreography. There is so much vivid movement on stage, with fabulous dancing including whirling and foot stomping! and yet there are times of stillness too. The direction, from James Grieve, is excellent. He brings the story, the characters and the location of Port Isaac, to life right from the outset.
The singing is exceptional throughout, with the whole ensemble often on stage at the same time – making it hard to pick out individual cast members for recognition. However, for me it’s the songs performed by Danny’s love-interest Alwyn, played by Parisa Shahmir, that make the biggest impact. All her songs were sublime, but when she sang of the need to “keep hauling”, despite the very real possibility of heartbreak and loss, you could hear a pin drop in the theatre. However, this is not to detract from the beauty of all the voices joined together in song, which is at the heart of this show.
This production of “Fisherman’s Friends” is what musical theatre should be all about. Cracking actors and musicians performing a charming and compelling story on a fabulous theatrical set. The shanties they sing are powerful and pure, connecting us back through time with nautical history. To hear them is a simple delight. Entertainment at its best. If you’re a fan of sea shanties specifically or folk music more broadly, you’re in for a treat with this show.