Interview: 'It's Utterly Thrilling': Jo Parsons On Creating and Directing Edinburgh Fringe Hit, SHANTIFY, In The West End
"I never thought you could turn ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ by Wheatus into a sea shanty!”
After two successful sailings of the sea of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Shantify is docking in London for a run at Underbelly Boulevard Soho. The show, a “nautical musical adventure,” stars a crew of West End performers who take a range of songs and transform them into sea shanties with harmonies that will shiver your timbers.
Recently, we had the chance to speak with Jo Parsons, the creator and director of Shantify. We discussed the evolution of the show over the past few years, how songs get turned into sea shanties and what it is like to direct something like Shantify versus Les Misérables!
How did you first get started in the world of theatre?
When I was younger, I performed in a school play called Ocean Commotion, and I was a tuna fish! The art teacher at school said to my mum that I had a natural knack for being on stage, so I joined the local musicals. The first show we did was Bugsy Malone. I played Joe the Barman, and I remember Fat Sam tipped a glass of water over my head, and the audience found it hilarious. From that moment on, I knew where I wanted to be.
Speaking of creating, what made you want to create Shantify?
During lockdown, I spent quite a lot of time in Cornwall. I immersed myself in the world of sea shanties, because a lot originate from there, and I just thought, “Wouldn't it be cool if you could put a musical theatre song or a pop song into the style of a sea shanty?” So I contacted Ashley Jacobs and Harry Style - not to be mixed up with Harry Styles - who are great musical minds and arrangers and MDs, and I just said, “Do you think you could work with me on an idea of turning ‘The Ballad of Sweeney Todd’ into a sea shanty?” And we did it!
I got some of my pals, and we put a video online. It just so happened that we put it on just as “Wellerman” became really popular - just by pure coincidence! It was an idea I had six months before, but because everyone was at home, it took us about six months to write it, film it and put it out there. It just took off! And then from there, we did a variety of takes on musicals. We did “Blow, Gabriel, Blow” - that's been on Elaine Page on BBC Radio 2. We did a Hamilton medley, we did a SIX medley, and we had some of the performers from SIX! The Prince of Egypt asked to collaborate with us, and we did a number.
I decided to put on a concert in London and write a whole hour show with Ash and Harry, so we did that at the Actors Church. I invited Evolution, the producers, along, and they loved it, and said, “How do you fancy taking it to Edinburgh Fringe?” I was like, “Yeah, why not? Let's go!” So now we produce it 50-50, Evolution and myself. It did so well at the Fringe that we went back for a second year, and then last year we played the Ambassadors Theatre in London. Then we're going to Underbelly, and back to Edinburgh this year! So, it just keeps evolving and building from a little idea on the M4 motorway.
Can you talk a bit about the creative process of making different songs into sea shanties?
Absolutely! We started off doing a lot of musical theatre songs, and then when we decided that this was something we should take forward, it would be good to make it slightly more commercial - jukebox, in a way. Imagine Dolly Parton, “Nine to Five,” in the style of a sea shanty, “Livin’ On A Prayer” by Bon Jovi in the style of a sea shanty, “Let Me Entertain You” by Robbie Williams. We got Fleetwood Mac in there, a bit of Bruno Mars, Michael Jackson...The list goes on!
The first time we ever took it to Edinburgh was more of a concert style. What we tried last year was adding some narrative, and then this year's become a hybrid of the two. The vehicle of the show is the music, and you don't want to lose that - it's utterly thrilling when you've got six guys in close part harmony.
So the platform that it takes now is more of a concert feel where we involve the audience in a lot of what we do. It's feel-good, it's funny, it doesn't take itself too seriously. As a director and producer of it, all I want, especially in the world that we're living in at the moment, is for people to come and just have a really good time, and leave going, “Wow, I never thought you could turn ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ by Wheatus into a sea shanty!”
Image Credit: Tom Murray
The important question is, has Harry Style arranged a Harry Styles song?
Not yet, but it's definitely gonna happen at some point, especially with Harry Styles coming back to Wembley to play this summer! But the guys who write the music are amazing. They're so clever! I know that I can just give them an idea and they'll come back to me with something. If I've got any thoughts, they can create it, and it's really exciting.
What is it like to direct something of your own versus more classic works like Oliver! and Les Mis?
It's so different! When I'm directing Les Mis and Oliver!, it's all about being within the show, although there are elements that break the fourth wall. Fagan does do that in Oliver!, and Gavroche does in Les Mis - he talks directly to the audience. But both those shows, 90% of it is within the realms of the world that we've created.
Whereas Shantify, one of the opening lines is just, “Welcome to Shantify!” It's all about the audience and the engagement. We just want them to be having a great time - tapping their feet, clapping along, and, if they know the words, singing along. It’s very different worlds, but the element of theatricality still lies within there.
It's a completely different small beast to working on a juggernaut like a West End show, which requires absolute focus, dedication, and a lot of time [...] Those shows close on a Saturday night and reopen on a Monday, so it's a juggernaut, a well-oiled machine. It's very different with Shantify, because the last time we all met was in September, and then we all came back together about two weeks ago to start rehearsals, but it was amazing.
We're really excited to bring the show to Underbelly Boulevard in Soho, in the heart of the West End. It's cool for me because Oliver! and Les Mis are next door to each other, and I can literally just walk thirty seconds up the road and be there with Shantify! It's gonna be a fun few weeks.
And how does it feel to be bringing Shantify to the Fringe for a third time?
Really exciting! The first year we were at the Fringe, we were down on George Street amongst all the nice shops, but that felt a bit far away from the main hub up in George Square. So, because we sold so well, Assembly got back to us right away and said, "Right, would you come over to George Square to do the Palais du Variété?” So we went from a 220-seater to 500 seats! When we first went to Edinburgh two years ago, 24 hours before our first show, we had only sold nine tickets across the whole run, and I was like, “What have we done?” And then, as soon as we did that first show, word just spread really quickly!
We seem to be building this cult following, which is really cool. I got a ticket report the other day, and we've already sold over 100 two and a half months out, so that's a really good sign! I think this year at the Fringe will be the best we've ever done, just because of the material that we've got, and leaning into working with the audience more. Some of us have been working on it since the very beginning, some of the actors for the last two years, some just the last year - we all feel like this is the one. Although it's been great the past two years, this is the year we go no stone unturned. Let's go for it!
Do you have a favourite song from Shantify?
We've done something this year that is going to be quite fun, where one of the lads reveals that he's going to propose to his long-term girlfriend. They ask him, “How are you going to do it?” And he bursts into “Your Song” by Elton John at the end of a pier. But the boys don't think it's very convincing, so they each take turns of how they would propose. So there are six different songs in the space of about three and a half minutes, all pop songs that you never would believe would be turned into a sea shanty! You can imagine that, with the help of the audience, maybe there's a bit of participation in there. So, at the moment, that's probably one of my favourites.
What do you hope audiences take away from Shantify?
I just hope they come and have a fantastic time! They'll be blown away because the guys genuinely are amazing singers. They've all been in West End and touring shows, so it's a great company of chaps singing. There are guitars, a little bit of drumming on our fishermen crates of wooden boxes, and so on - they'll be in for a treat!
People come along, sing along a little bit, have a good time, hopefully they'll laugh, and they'll leave feeling positive and re-energised. We could all do with a little bit of that in the world right now.
And finally, how would you describe Shantify in one word?
“Shanti-licious!”
Shantify runs from 3 - 14 June at Underbelly Boulevard Soho
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