Review: Shantify, Fringe 2025

Returning to the Fringe after a smash-hit 2024 run, Shantify drops anchor in the relative comfort of the Palais Du Variete in Assembly George Square Gardens.

The premise is simple and effective: a crew of talented performers take pop bangers, rock classics, and show tunes and gives them a sea shanty makeover. On offer are some excellent tunes, some strapping young men, and an hour of high-energy musical fun.

At the close of the show, the cast hinted at a potential future in the West End. Based on this confident and polished performance, we’re sure we’ll be seeing Shantify under much brighter lights than a George Square tent very soon.

The Story

Shantify is about three-quarters jukebox musical and one-quarter out-and-out concert. The musical element is, naturally, mostly sung, with just enough dialogue to keep the audience clued in on the drama unfolding in a small English fishing village. Here, a group of local lads have formed a band, turning pop songs into shanties to perform in the pub on a Friday night.

There’s a healthy dose of emotional jeopardy to drive the narrative. Two of the crew are brothers; one is only visiting from a high-powered London job after their father’s death has left the family ship, the Song of the Sea, short-handed. Elsewhere, another member has a big date, and a third is planning to propose. It’s all foreshadowed with the subtlety of a power ballad, but that’s entirely in keeping with the show’s feel-good, boy band energy.

The vibe is infectious. A row of women behind me had fixed grins on their faces for the entire duration, though the first person to their feet for the standing ovation was a father a few rows along. A quick note on the venue: the seats are comfortable, but the floor isn’t raked. If you’re on the shorter side, it’s worth getting to the queue early to grab a seat near the front for an unobstructed view.

The Shantification

The show offers a tour through a setlist of classics that have been duly ‘Shantified’. On the night, we were treated to reworkings of AC/DC, Wheatus, and Robbie Williams, while the programme promises hits from Hamilton, The Spice Girls, and even Eminem. It’s a healthy and eclectic mix.

There isn’t a weak link in this six-man band. Each performer is a powerful singer, and while they could likely swap lead parts without sacrificing any impact, the show is smartly structured to give every one of them ample time in the spotlight. The harmonies are tight, and the energy is relentless.

If I have one criticism, it’s that my personal bar for a successfully ‘Shantified’ song is perhaps a little higher than what the show delivered. We were given fantastic songs, expertly arranged for six male voices, but they often lacked the deep, resonant chorus vibe that made sea shanties a TikTok phenomenon. Then again, what truly makes a song a shanty? These tunes are all intrinsically part of a nautical adventure, and in the world of the show, perhaps that’s enough.

Overall

An energetic and solid performance from a group of immensely talented singers. Shantify is absolutely a show you can take your mum to, or indeed anyone who fondly remembers social media’s sea shanty phase. I one hundred per cent believe these guys are destined for a West End stage, which is all the more reason to catch their rip-roaring, nautically-themed party at the Fringe.