The musical arrives in London following its Broadway run. How have critics been reacting to it?
WhatsOnStage: **** “The humour makes up in relentlessness for what it lacks in sophistication (“You can put sugar on horses**t but that don’t make it a brownie” “NOW you tell me?!”) but buy into it and you’ll laugh a lot. Stir in a tractor-trailer load of heart, several barrels of good will, foot-tapping music, and you have an appealing show, albeit one that just occasionally feels a little lost and overlong in the wide open space of Regent’s Park.”
The Guardian: *** “But it’s Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally’s songs that often blow you away: hoedowns, lonesome ballads, stagecoach rhythms, loud and proud show tunes, with a five-piece band heavy on the guitars and giving a percussive boost to the humour. Sarah O’Gleby’s choreography slowly builds up steam, with performers eventually walking on whiskey barrels and mixing hand claps with foot slaps.”
London Theatre.co.uk: **** “Shows rarely come more heartily – huskily, even – entertaining than Shucked.”
Time Out: *** “Shucked is as good as its one-liners, which is to say that it’s very good while the one-liners are being delivered, but there’s not a lot there beyond them.”
Broadway World: *** “All in all, it’s a pleasant, extremely low-stakes, early-summer night out. The pigeons scurrying across the stage add to the whimsy while the redneck wisdom and blue collar maxims will probably delight many. Even the formula might work in their favour and make it a quirky, familiar pleasure. There’s a vague evangelical leitmotif that might raise some eyebrows, but it’s ultimately feel-good, unpretentious, harmless theatre.”
Theatre Vibe: “Whilst some might criticise the show’s lack of profound emotional depth or substantial character development, such critique misses the point entirely. Shucked never pretends to offer psychological analysis of communities or relationships. This is an unabashedly proud comedy that knows exactly what it is—and delivers that vision with infectious enthusiasm.
Lou Reviews: *** 1/2 “It’s a piece that seeks to entertain, and if you can set aside the deliberately corny characterisations and equally corny quotes and not look for an involving story, this is well worth the trip to Regent’s Park.”
The Stage: *** “shamelessly silly, cartoonish musical about corn keeps us laughing along.”
The Independent: *** “Grammy-winning writing duo Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally elevate a corny production”
The Standard: **** “Summer may not have fully arrived for the start of the Open Air theatre’s season, but this Tony award-winning musical comedy delivers a burst of nourishing, laugh-out-loud sunshine.”
All That Dazzles: ***** “It may be corny but boy is it sweet – when it comes to new musicals opening this year, Shucked really is the cream of the crop.”
Theatre Weekly: ***** “What makes Shucked so endearing is its refusal to take itself too seriously. It’s a show that revels in wordplay and absurdity, yet never loses sight of its emotional core. Beneath the corny jokes and humorous asides lies a sincere message about embracing change, challenging tradition, and finding strength in community.”
Theatre & Tonic: **** “Jack O’Brien’s direction, paired with Katy Richardson’s musical direction, is what really ensures this show’s success. It’s a slick, faultless and energetic show from start to finish. It’s not trying to be a high-brow show, and if you are able to go in with the intent to just have fun, then Shucked has a lot to offer for a night of tremendous fun. It plays into its silliness and, as a result, leaves you with one of the funniest shows on offer this summer. “
Musical Theatre Review: ***** “Like the best country music, Shucked is equal parts stupid and smart, charming with its humour while not neglecting its heart. Wherever a piece of musical theatre isn’t forcing you to rethink your outlook on the world and ask yourself deep questions on the meaning of life, a piece of musical theatre should be relentlessly silly. The sillier the better. Shucked delivers. It is the perfect summer escape and a triumph of musical theatre nonsense. Even the worst of this season’s English weather won’t dampen the joy exuding from its every kernel.”
Everything Theatre: **** “The cast for the current production is stacked with talented performers who nail the tone of the show. Not only are they all excellent singers and dancers, but they have great comedic timing and a sweet country twang to match. The storytellers, Monique Ashe-Palmer and Steven Webb, mark the tone of the show. Ben Joyce’s ballad as Beau is a crowd pleaser and Sophie McShera’s sweet, innocent Maizy becomes the heart of the production. Georgina Onuorah’s Lulu commands the stage any time she is on it, in a flirty, strong performance that reminds me of her Ado Annie in Daniel Fish’s Oklahoma!.”
London Theatre Reviews.co.uk: *** “While some jokes land and do get the belly laughs Shucked was accustomed to receiving on Broadway, others fall flat and fail to land even in a charming, irreverent fashion.”
The Reviews Hub: ***** “Shucked gives off an air of being a simple tale of simple folk, but a show this consistently hilarious and entertaining is all the better because it’s smart enough to know exactly how, when and why to be utterly, utterly stupid.”
London Theatre 1: **** “In the end, though, resistance is futile, and there are some points to take away about things like mutual trust, following your heart, and drawing strength from those around you. Very silly but very entertaining, it’s a satisfying evening of escapism.”
The Telegraph: **** “Replete with corny one-liners, this barmy American musical is a zesty treat for the summer months – and may well head to the West End.”
Shucked continues to play at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre until the 14th June.