REVIEW: Fishermen’s Friends on the Mayflower Southampton

The story of Fishermen’s Friend singers from Port Isaac in Cornwall started in 1995 however sprung to wider recognition with the discharge of their album in April 2010 which charted at quantity 9 on UK album charts after which grew to become a captivating movie in 2019 with a sequel in 2022. It grew to become a stage musical in October 2021 and after a visit to Toronto, the tour continues till 2023 May across the UK. If you’re a fan of their sea shanties or in search of a feel-good evening out it’s price catching the tour however don’t anticipate something new or groundbreaking. It is just a enjoyable evening out.

The remainder of the primary band (who one notes have a mixed age of 560!) are Rowan (Dan Buckley), Wiggy (Martin Carroll) Archie (Hadrian Delacey), Leadville (Pete Gallagher), Bran (Alfie Gidley), Frank (Nicholas Tizzard) and Owen (James William-Pattison) and they’re at the most effective bantering within the bar or stomping out acapella sea shanties. The finest two songs are left to the finale “No hopers, Jokers & Rogues” and “South Australia” and aside from some extra conventional songs like “What shall we do with the drunken sailor”, the remainder of the tender merge as a single nice however not distinctive sound. Occasionally songs like “Haul away joe” add a bit extra rhythmic drama to the present however it’s the Ladies’ people ballads that add emotion and variation to the present.

Into this world stumbles the self-confident former A & R man Danny (Jason Langley) who falls for Alywyn whereas attempting to make a fast buck for himself and persuade his former boss at Island Records Leah (Fia Houston- Hamilton) to present them a recording contract. The different subplot is the battle of the family-run Golden Lion pub on the centre of the area people to make a dwelling for Rowan and Sally (Hazel Monaghan) with out the seasonal commerce. Amanda Whittington’s script focuses on the love story and displays on the significance of belief and friendship in small communities however in some way on the massive stage and with out the good thing about the close-ups within the movies a number of the emotional coronary heart is swept apart in a celebration of this conventional musical fashion.

Director James Grieve makes use of the stage area nicely with a number of ranges successfully used to spotlight key moments and relationships and an imaginative setting of the scenes at sea on their fishing boats. The intelligent design permits slick transitions between inside and exterior scenes with choreographed strikes of props by the solid which maintains the tempo all through and the stage by no means seems to be overcrowded with choreography by Matt Cole involving the on-stage musicians in addition to the principals to create an actual sense of a small neighborhood performing collectively.

The full home viewers on the Mayflower cherished it giving it a standing ovation as they usually do for the musicals there however why not? On a chilly damp February night what is just not like about this feel-good musical with its accessible enjoyable songs, slick staging and a few delightful-sounding singing voices, it’s merely a superb evening out which leaves you smiling and buzzing “South Australia “ on the best way residence.