Barbershopera II

The Barbershopera formula hasn't changed much since last year. And why not – it's the formula that bagged them two Musical Theatre Matters awards. Moreover, on the basis of tonight's performance, one can't help but feel they deserve another.

So, the Shavingham Shantymen find themselves short of a tenor when Johnny Johnson jumps (or was he pushed?) to his death in Norfolk. There follows an outlandish story involving the return of Johnny's estranged son, matador Esteve Johnson, some extremely competitive hairdressing, and a dastardly plot involving stampeding cows sent berserk by pilchard brine.

And there's singing – a lot of it: close harmony singing packed with musical allusions, sensitive pastiche, and some frankly marvelous rhymes ("let's live together like two peas in a pod / let's love each other like the Christians love God", to pluck an example).

Sure, there are a couple of issues: the heavy curtains in the venue tend to suck up sound. As the cast move around the stage—and move around they do in this carefully choreographed production—vocal parts drop in and out as backs are turned to the audience. Similarly, some of the more vigorous movements precipitate slight lapses in vocal control.

But these are minor concerns, only noticeable as slight deviations from what is an extraordinarily skilled ensemble piece. And on balance, this doesn't really matter: so what if the plot is far-fetched. In fact, it's unexpectedly moving in places. And for those suspicious of the suitability of barbershop harmonies as a medium for gripping drama or riotous comedy, here are a group of performers who have demonstrably proved otherwise.