catchy, camp chaos
There’s something joyfully chaotic about Shhh!: The Musical – an hour of high-energy, youthful performances that wears its message on its sleeve, even as it’s busy breaking into song and throwing itself to the floor in the name of comedy.
Written, directed and composed by Pelumi Adedayo-Bamidele (who also was the live pianist during the performance, receiving a well-earned standing ovation at the close) and choreographed by Shani Emily, this production doesn’t so much as gently introduce its themes as it does shout them (with jazz hands) from the rafters. But in the heightened, campy world of Shhh!, that on-the-nose delivery feels less like a misstep and more like part of the fun. This is a show that knows what it’s doing, and leans into its own ridiculousness with gusto.
The setting is simple: a fictional, almost dystopian, overly-cheerful town that seems totally clueless to the existence of anything bad – the extent of their world knowledge is the existence of the almighty Broadway. Shhh!: The Musical is made for the TikTok generation, set in a world where Gen Z doesn’t have every social media app at their fingertips and nobody’s spending their evenings doomscrolling. The contrast sets up an interesting question: what actually happens when we suddenly get access to all the harsh truths of the world? Is it better to live in blissful ignorance?
While there’s plenty of earnest messaging threaded through the narrative, it’s the original musical that really makes Shhh! what it is. With catchy melodies, modern arrangements and lyrics that beg for a second listen, the songs are undeniably the heart of the show. My one complaint? There weren’t enough of them. Shhh! cleverly blends original songs and re-worked hits – fans of Pitch Perfect will feel at home with the cleverly blended mashups, and I know that I’ll be impatiently waiting for the originals to hit Spotify.
Elise Lambert’s Doc delivers standout vocals and I found myself more opportunities to listen to them. Meanwhile, Premo Miriki delivers a scene-stealing performance as Boo, leaving the audience giggling whenever he was on stage. Jade Sophia Vertannes brings a grounded charm to the lead role of Iris, deftly balancing sincerity with humour – and deserves a special mention for throwing herself (literally) into some more technical choreography. Jade, if you’re reading this: please treat yourself to some knee pads.
The ensemble brings the world of Shhh! to life with an infectious energy, even if there were moments where things teetered into the territory of overacting. In the case of Bethanie Hayes’ Clementine, that worked well – the exaggerated accent and mid-sentence tap breaks making the character purposefully outrageous – but elsewhere it was sometimes a little challenging. There’s a real sense that with a touch more polish, Shhh! could elevate from scrappy fun to a real cult classic.
Where the show stumbles is in its attempts at emotional depth. While clearly sincere, some of the heavier moments feel rushed or underexplored, hinting at nuance but rarely attempting to unpack anything truly meaningful. That said, Shhh!’s greatest strength is its willingness to go all in – every cast member throws themselves head-first into the performance, and it’s hard not to get swept along with them.
Ultimately, Shhh!: The Musical is rough around the edges, sometimes chaotic, often unsubtle – but it’s also brimming with heart, humour and clear passion. If you’re looking for a professional, highbrow performance you’ll be disappointed – the cast sometimes stumbled over their lines, didn’t hit their harmonies and danced into the curtains. But, if you’re looking for an hour of camp musical theatre with a modern edge, catchy numbers and some genuinely laugh-out-loud moments, this is well worth your time.