Baby Wants Candy’s improv masterpiece Shamilton! is an astonishing display of vocal talent, quick-witted lyricism, and integral, undoubtable cast dynamics. The show has, understandably, sold out every year since its debut and is astonishing improvised musical theatre.
To preface, this show is completely different with every single performance. It begins with suggestions from the audience: four characters/celebrities/icons are selected by the cast. The audience then votes on who they would like to be their Alexander Hamilton for the night—for those unfamiliar with Lin- Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton: An American Musical, it is a hip-hop/rap musical about the life of a founding father of the United States of America, Alexander Hamilton.
The performance I attended on 8 August was on Princess Diana: the peoples’ princess. Other impromptu characters included a Machiavellian King Charles, blindly dedicated lover Queen Camilla, the (mostly irrelevant) paparazzi, perverse Prince Andrew, and sweet, young Princes William and Harry.
Shamilton! featured a mixture of improvised dialogue and songs based on what the cast knew of their main character. For Diana, this involved her charitable habits, media portrayal, relationship with Charles (and his with Camilla), and her sons.
As the performance company is American, their perception of 1990s British culture and the monarchy was fascinating and amusing. For any royalists who enjoy improvised musicals, their commentary on the royal family may have been controversial. However, any Hamilton fans may appreciate that coincidental mesh with the original musical, set during the American Revolution.
The cast’s chemistry and ability to fluidly develop each other’s ideas shone through; the show flowed, their coordination within improvised songs was astonishing, and the characterising was solid and snappy. Improv is a dubious, hit-or-miss craft for me. It is difficult to execute well and can feel awkward, yet Shamilton! evaded these problems, the cast excelling at promptly developing funny, engaging dialogue and songs.
Shamilton! masters improv to cultivate spontaneous comedy and surprisingly catchy songs. This cast showcases vocally and intellectually talented performers with incredible dynamics to create an absorbing Princess Diana—or any other icon—musical on the spot.
Shamilton! is running until 30 August at Studio One at Assembly George Square Studios. Buy Tickets Here.
Image Via George Square Studios.
