Shucked at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

Shuckingly spectacular show! I went into Shucked only knowing of Independently Owned, and frankly, the rest of the show blew me away. I will say here and now that I am very hopeful there will be a West End transfer in this show's features, as it truly is joyous comedy gold.

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre is a new venue for me, and I was pleased to see how accessible they strived to be. When asking if the content warnings were displayed, a member of staff explained that if they were any, one of the digital screens would have it in its cycle of images and if the show was a heavier show with content warnings, then they would be displayed clearly by the entrances to allow patrons to be informed.

The only possible downfall of this theatre is the thing that makes it unique… being outside… and I must say that Shucked was most certainly the first time I have watched a show in a bucket hat and sunglasses trying to avoid the sun. I sat Lower, C17 and was pretty much eye-level with the stage due to how tiered the seating is, so I would definitely recommend rows C or D if you want to be close to the stage without having to look up, as it is fairly raised. I would also most certainly recommend being prepared with not only a hat and sunglasses but some form of raincoat as well in case it rains.

*POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD*

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My Review:

Shucked tells the tale of small-town Maizy (Sophie McShera), named after her grandmother, who leaves Cob County to solve their BIG problem… what happened to the corn! The show is so much more than that; it is a tale with growth and community at its heart, and the entire company's ability to convey a feeling of togetherness that draws the audience in is what made this show such a special watch. Not to mention the clever little twist that draws you in at the end… without giving away too much!

It opens with the two Storytellers (Monique Ashe-Palmer and Steven Webb) from the moment they stepped out on stage, they demanded and captivated the audience’s attention, opening the show with Corn following the Overture led by Peanut (Keith Ramsay). Monique Ashe-Palmer and Steven Webb guide the audience through the show as the overly involved Storytellers, and I always looked forward to their additions, even the many jokes from Storyteller 2. It was wonderful to watch Monique Ashe-Palmer and Steven Webb interact as their chemistry and joy on stage was truly infectious and added to the heart of the show. From their many additiona to characters to joining in with numbers either seamlessly or because they know the words and the move and want to join they were a joy to watch and I knew the second they were onstage the already amazing time I was having was about to get even better, which I didn’t know was possible.The Overture is a creative way to read the show rules and introduce the conductor without a general tannoy speech before the cast appears on stage for Corn. Corn set the tone for the show, and I was hooked instantly by this upbeat song, which will certainly be joining my regular theatre playlist (along with the whole soundtrack). The choreography (Sarah O’Gleby and Myles Brown) was engaging and considered, utilising props and set to blend transitions alongside wonderful dancing and singing during other moments of songs throughout this production. Corn transitions into Walls, led by the stunning vocals of Sophie McShera, as we learn more about the imposing corn wall of Cob County and her desperation to fix the town's problem for many reasons… definitely not just because she was right and Beau (Ben Joyce) was wrong. It’s there in Tampa that Maizy meets the ‘professional’ corn con man Gordy (Matthew Seadon-Young). Delivering fabulous vocals and showboating in Bad, causing the audience to have a love-to-hate-him reaction to this seemingly selfish, sleezy con man, but as this show consistently reminds you... first impressions aren’t everything, nor are second… okay, maybe it took a lot of impressions for this character to be redeemed, but boy was it worth it! Woman of the World follows Maizys return to Cob County and as was consistent with this show the set (Scott Pask) was able to be used to contribute to the storytelling of the plot and made this show even more engaging especially in transitions/scene changes, not that it needed to be any more engaging. The show’s book (Robert Horn) is brilliantly written, giving this production such a strong foundation that it perfectly builds on with its direction (Jack O’Brien) to provide a spectacular experience that’ll have you wanting to return again and again. Ben Joyce delivered an absolute showstopper performance during Somebody Will and especially during Best Man Wins. His voice is sublime to listen to, blending soft and rock tones for a beautiful mix that is a joy to listen to, but it was his showmanship which blew me away. He drew attention whilst uplifting the ensemble and was able to balance providing stunning vocals with a fabulous performance that I was exhausted just watching. The choreography in Best Man Wins was phenomenal and the barrellography (I have no better word for it) was so impressive to watch and captivated my attention for the whole song as I couldn’t believe the level of talent i was seeing from everyone on stage, as was the status quo for the whole show. Should this show transfer, and it absolutely should, I think even more audiences would be finding themselves echoing Storyteller 2’s ambition to join in with Best Man Wins once they also know all the words and moves. Joining Beau is his brother Peanut, and I think…Peanut is one of my favourite characters, and I think… he added so much to the show (you’ll have to catch Shucked to get that reference). Keith Ramsay’s on-point comedic timing and complete confidence in what he was saying had me in stitches each time, and his performance was so fabulous to see. His interactions with Ben Joyce were brilliant, and the ability of them to play off of each other was joyous to watch on stage, as it simply felt as if they were having the best time on that stage and conveying that to the audience is a testament to the skill of both of those actors. On that note, it honestly felt as though every performer on that stage was having the best time and I truly believe that added to the joyous and uplifting energy that this show consistently maintaijed and I want to commend every member of the company for every second of the amazing performance that I was fortunate to watch. Lulu (Georgina Onuorah) delivered an absolutely stand-out performance as Lulu, especially during the iconic song Independently Owned. I have been fortunate to have seen Georgina Onuroah in multiple shows, and every time her talent truly blows me away, from the first time I saw her, I knew she was one to watch, and I feel so lucky to have been able to watch her on more than one occasion. I cannot urge you enough to catch her in whatever she goes into next, as her performance is always fabulous, but it is her vocal power that leaves me speechless every time I see her perform. She has a truly amazing voice that is divine to listen to, and I could listen to her rendition of Independently Owned on loop as it was such a perfect blend of performance and vocals to provide a moment that will stay with you after you leave the theatre. Alongside Lulu, Maizy also had Grandpa (Jonathon Andrew Hume) to guide her. Jonathan Andrew Hume was another performer with perfect comedic timing and characterisation, and frankly, I’m impressed he ran around the whole theatre, jumped back up on the stage and carried on without seemingly a breath, as I can say with some confidence I would’ve been gasping for air. He left me dying of laughter, especially when discussing Maizy’s grandmother as his physical theatre when telling jokes added aeons to the comedy of the joke and was such a perfect choice with regards to characterisation.

The ensemble is made up of Taila Halford, Ross Harmon, Claudia Kariuki, Ying Ue Li, Tom Oliver, Gleanne Purcell-Brown, and Toyan Thomas-Browne and the offstage swings are Jed Berry, Nathaniel Purnell, Rachel Rawlinson, and Mia Shelbourne. This show is a true showcase of the talent and adaptability as the performers morph from character to character and blend choreography with sets and props for seamless transitions and showstopping numbers. Should this show return, I completely and utterly urge you to follow the smell of corn and take yourself to Cob County to see this uplifting comedy!

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Content Warnings:

The content advisory notes for this production are available on the show’s page of the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre Website and are as follows:

• Adult Themes

• Moments of Adult Language

• Harvest of Corny Inuendos

I personally did not make note of any additional moments during this show that I felt should be included in this list.

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Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope this review has proved interesting and helpful for you :)

- AnxiousTheatregoer