“It’s raw, it’s real, and it’s entirely created and performed by the next generation of artists”
Accomplished young people is a truer definition of this group of musical theatre performers who have put on their own show on the London Fringe, writes Michael Holland.
The troupe, all students at the renowned BRIT School, have, over the past 2-3 years, been working on their Sh!t Show, which they have recently showcased to very impressed audiences at The Union Theatre. No easy task when you know that they have done this in between the maths, English and science subjects that have to be done at school, plus the performance projects assigned as part of what the BRIT School curriculum is all about.
The show’s producer, Nellie Regan, revealed the idea was formed at the back of the maths class about three years ago – When they were all in Year 10! Lars Nunns had a few songs, which he asked Linus Davison to put music to. They in turn got Ms Regan and Abbie Garland to sing the songs to see how they sounded before Gregor Brown got involved to put a dance team together to choreograph, and before you know it they had the meat of a musical ready to be put together in one energy-filled body of work that now has life.
The showcase was their opportunity to show what they could do. Each person would explain their character, their backstory and introduce a specific scene before singing a song that brought everything together.
By the end we had enjoyed comedy (Ellie Jones is hilarious; Max Wanambwa and Arlo Gould are comedy gold); dancing that conjured up touches of Fosse from Edward Bowley, Hannah Nolan, Twyla Bradley, Caitlin Poole and Sophie Mulhall, and singing from Nellie, Abbie, Noah Superville, Freddie Janman, Sophie Cawley and Eva Mohammed that could grace any show in the West End right now, plus, there is a multitude of talent in the remaining ensemble, who are all keen and ready to step up from the chorus line.
The music, though, was something else. It is difficult to take in that this was written by two boys in their mid-teens – in their spare time! The upbeat numbers have a pounding, toe-tapping beat as good as you would find in any modern musical. The ballads have a poignancy and tenderness that equal songs written by those of much more advanced life experience, and the lyrics are bang on trend.
How Sh!T Show got to this stage actually sounds like the storyline of a Hollywood movie but Sh!t Show has a better storyline; one that involves twins separated at birth who unknowingly clash over a man while working at the same company. Throw in some embezzlement, bankruptcy and lots of singing and dancing and I think Lars and Linus will have to change the title when they get this show completed, because this show is as far from its working title as it possibly could be. This show takes you on a journey to joy and needs a positive title to reflect that.
On the downside I would have liked the story to have been London-based. I see no need for Linus and Lars to have their cast putting on fake American accents and singing about Long Island and New Jersey or about coming from Idaho when they can make London and Britain just as attractive – Unless, of course, they already have their sights firmly set on Broadway!
Watch out for all these names because, from what I have seen, they are part of theatre’s future and need a leg up to get this potential masterpiece finished.
Nellie Regan, who also plays Rebecca, has the last word: “Sh!t Show is a sharp, funny, and sometimes painfully relatable story about a love triangle between Guy, Amanda, and Rebecca — three characters who bring workplace drama to a whole new level. It’s messy, touching, a little bit vengeful, and full of moments we’ve all lived through (or narrowly escaped). It’s raw, it’s real, and it’s entirely created and performed by the next generation of theatre artists… I believe it is so important for new work to be shared and seen, so please help me raise money so we are able to take our show to the next level.”
