Review by Mark and Aimee
Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review.
Shantify delivers a boisterous 70 minutes of tight, six-part harmony from a loveable crew of pseudo-seafarers. Playing to pack houses, the group clearly retains a loyal Edinburgh Fringe following, with plenty of repeat audience members filling the seats.
While the threadbare narrative feels largely unnecessary, these aren’t rigid choral purists; the playful stage antics provide just enough connective tissue to sail from one song to the next. The show leans heavily on good-natured banter and gentle ribbing that never crosses into poor taste. It is precisely this easy charm, paired with genuinely impressive vocal talent, that makes the group so instantly endearing.
Borrowing a page from the traditional boy band playbook, each member highlights their distinct personality and vocal range, clearly relishing their slightly exaggerated stage personas. Lively, charismatic, and featuring just enough light choreography to keep the energy high. There is a brilliant jovial relationship between the six bouy band that adds a lovely light tone to proceedings.
The show uses a variety of music genres, including a timely rendition of Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5, a Beyoncé Medley, a Fleetwood Mac Medley, and a selection of Musical Theatre songs shantified. A highlight of this was "From Now On" from The Greatest Showman, and the glorious gender-bend megamix of Six: The Musical.
The cast is comprised of six hugely talented performers, all of whom deliver superbly unique and grounded performances. There is an effortless blend to their vocal performance as a company, paired with precise musical direction. Being an actor-musician show, many of the cast showcase a sound ability to play their respective instruments simultaneously with singing and acting. A notable mention is Callum Kay, who began the show with a rendition of 'Wellerman'. His actor-musicianship was highlighted on lead guitar throughout the entire show, as well as his uniquely rich baritone voice.
One thing is for sure, this show is certain to have a bright and lengthy future, where it will keep growing from strength to strength. Surely the West End is on the horizon... Shantastic.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Shantify runs at Palais du Variété at Assembly George Square Gardens until Sunday 30th August 2026. For tickets visit https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/shantify
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