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Telegraph
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Shucked: This could be the next Book of Mormon
What is Shucked about? It's about two hours 25 minutes including the interval. And if you don't relish gags like that, folks, you may not want to devote two hours 25 minutes to this off-beat, Tony-nominated American musical comedy, which is so replete with corny one-liners and crosstalk it could leave you in sore need of a lie-down as you clutch your sides, groaning. But if your taste that way inclines, you're in for a treat. The show's title, and bite-sized scenario, indicate the lie of the land: this quirky fable, presided over by two tongue-in-cheek narrators, is set in Cob County, a small town cut off from the world by its bountiful, all-purpose corn 'wall'. When the corn mysteriously wilts, the heroine, 'Maizy' (obvs) – poised to marry her beau (called, naturally, Beau) – ventures forth to find help from a, duh, corn doctor – an under-achieving con-man called Gordy. He decides to get his mitts on the town's mysterious rocks, presumed valuable, and is prepared to fake devotion to the very green Maizy to obtain his ends. Hokum 'as high as an elephant's eye' to quote Oklahoma! – and having listened to a few so-so numbers from the 2023/2024 Broadway cast recording, I ambled rather than sprinted to its UK premiere, again directed by Jack O'Brien and the opening offer from Regent Park's new AD Drew McOnie. What no words on the page can do full justice to, though, is the way it all comes together beautifully, and zestily, on the stage, testament to an exhaustive development process. The original inspiration was an old, much-loved US TV series called Hee Haw, which combined sketches with country music. The composing duo here – Brandy Clark and Shane McAnnally – are in their element with that genre, and Scott Pask's great slanting barn of a set references the TV show's design. Robert Horn's book chases laughs but its undercutting wit sharpens the experience rather than hollowing it out. Resembling breathing spaces, some songs may be corny in sentiment but also impart homespun truths. What's Shucked about, in all seriousness? It's about couples, and coping – the way our kernel of self-worth is easily blighted and needs nurturing. This 'message', if you will, is organically conveyed in the lead performances, which combine silliness with sobering notes of sincerity. Sophie McShera is doltish and dreamy but also a free-spirit worth rooting for as Maizy, and like her, Ben Joyce's son of the soil Beau has a gorgeous number that lets rip with yearning. There's terrific support from a lung-busting Georgina Onuorah as Maizy's no-nonsense cousin Lulu and Matthew Seadon-Young as Gordy, the grasping interloper, while Monique Ashe-Palmer and Steven Webb have just the right twinkle of knowingness (and knowingness about their knowingness) as the narrating story-tellers. Keith Ramsay as a scene-stealing wag called Peanut risks triggering allergies with his constant wisecracks ('I was just playing Frisbee with my goat – he's a lot heavier than I thought') but he neatly embodies the (mainly) innocuous pleasure of a barmy show which, after a hopefully balmy summer, may yet head, like some latter-day, family-friendly Book of Mormon, to the West End.
Time Out
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Keith Ramsay (Peanut)
Corn. Corn. Corn corn corn. Corncorncorncorncorn. Corn. Corn corn corn corn. Corn. Corn. Corn. Corn. Coooooooooooooooooooooooorn. Crn. CORN. CORN! Corn. Corn? ¡Corn! Corn. Broadway hit Shucked is a musical about corn, and very funny it is too. In part that's simply because a story about a group of corn-loving hicks is intrinsically amusing: corn! It's a funny word in its way, especially when said as often as it's said in Shucked (which is a lot). And it's not just jokes about corn: book writer Robert Horn is an absolute ninja with a one-liner, and Shucked is near enough wall-to-wall with the things. I sort of don't want to spoil any. But I also want to prove I didn't just go along for the press buffet (chargrilled corn and cornbread) so here are a few gems: 'I was playing frisbee with a goat; he's a lot heavier than I thought'; 'your grandma died doing what she loved – making toast in the bathtub'; 'he was head over heels, which is just standing upright'; just multiply that sort of thing by around 200 and you've got a pretty good idea what the show is like. There's a moment early on in Jack O'Brian's production when it looks like Shucked might serve as an acerbic satire on America's capacity for self delusion. It's set in the town of Cob County, a corn-growing community that has apparently avoided all meaningful contact with the outside world, which sounds like a solid metaphor for American isolationism, especially when the crop fails and the townspeople react with disdainful horror when plucky youngster Maizy (Sophie McShera) suggests she go out into the outside world to look for answers. The show is narrated by the amusingly inept Storyteller 1 (Monique Ashe-Palmer) and Storyteller 2 (Stephen Webb), who have the air of two overgrown, overexcited children tasked with delivering a school assembly. There's another brilliantly satirical moment when they look at each other with panicked uncertainty during their assertion that nobody owned the land when their pilgrim forefathers showed up. But after that it's mostly just corn gags. Arguably the plot is simply 'corn puns' 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. The plot follows a formulaic turn, not dissimilar to Calamity Jane, as plucky Maizy ventures out into civilization (well, Tampa, Florida, a concept that's probably funnier if you're American), leaving her more conservative fiance Beau (Ben Joyce) behind. Eventually she crosses paths with Matthew Seadon-Young's dodgy 'big city' podiatrist Gordy– that is to say he treats corns, not corn, but Maizy fails to understand the difference. Determining that Cob County seems to possess an abundance of a rare, valuable mineral that could make his debts go away, Gordy tells the now smitten Maizy that he can solve the town's ills. The characters are all fairly rote – despite his blank slate nature Webb's childishly overexcited Storyteller 2 is the most original creation, although Georgina Onuorah is magnificent as Maizy's monumentally sassy cousin Lulu. There's barely the pretence that Beau's brother Peanut (Keith Ramsay) is even a character: he's just a kind of savant pun dispenser, which is saying something by this show's standards. The country-style songs by Brandy Clarke and Shane McAnally are left to deepen and humanise the characters a little, though it's a mixed bag - the galloping hoedown breakdown of opener 'Corn' (yes, really) is one of several genuinely very amusing tunes, but other songs have an earnestness that feels completely out of place. I can see why Shucked would have been a breath of fresh air on Broadway, where it came from leftfield with an enigmatic advertising campaign purely based on corn puns, with no explanation of what the plot was (I mean arguably the plot is in fact 'corn puns'). But it comes to London as the opening show in Drew McOnie's first season at the Open Air Theatre with the sense it's less an eccentric piece of outsider art, but rather a big shiny Broadway hit. It maybe doesn't have the underdog charm it has in the US, and its flaws are more exposed. I'd also maybe point to the fact it's panto-like, an artform Americans are rarely exposed to but that we're inundated with every year. In general I think it could be spikier, darker and more satirical, but presumably Horn simply isn't into that.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Purebred Pyrenees and a coonhound up for adoption
We had an amazing, beautiful road trip to the Rutland County Humane Society for this week's Forever Home episode. We had a great time meeting two gorgeous gals that are up for adoption by RCHS. One pup is docile and laid back while the other is high energy and ready for some fun-loving. Without further ado, meet Maizy and Lady. Maizy is our gorgeous Great Pyrenees gal who is three years old, and a purebred. She is in a foster at home to adopt situation solely so she can finish her heartworm treatment in full before moving into her fresh Forever Home. Maizy is in fantastic health outside of finishing her heartworm treatment. She has no other health issues or dietary restrictions. Believe it or not, the marvelous Miss Maisy is super down to earth and such a love bug. Some may consider her a big lap dog who loves love and wants to be where you are. Nevertheless, Maizy has a playful side to her and is so very curious about interesting sounds. That infamous head tilt that dogs do to hone in on certain sounds? Maizy has that trick down pat! As far as the perfect home for her, she would do well with no other pets in the home and needs a slow introduction with smaller children. It's simply in the nature of this breed to be guardians of sorts, plus Maizy isn't that aware of her 'Greatness' as far as size. However, we believe Maizy would make a magnificent family dog. Just look at that sweet face and those puppy dog eyes! Lady, on the other hand, is the total opposite of Maizy. Lady is quite the queen of a coonhound, and is very high energy. If there's someone looking for a walking, running, hiking buddy with the warmer seasons right around the corner, then this is your girl. If you're training for a marathon this summer, then wanting to relax on the couch with a canine companion afterward? Lady is also that girl. She really has it all and would do well with older children. Smaller children and other dogs would need to be met with slower introductions. For more information about Maisy and Lady, you can watch their full Forever Home episode, here. You can also reach out directly to the Rutland Country Humane Society for additional details and how to adopt Maizy or Lady. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Boston Globe
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
In ‘Shucked,' an impressive rate of puns per minute
Side-by-side with that story is a tale of love lost, regained, and relocated. Tonally, the corn quotient is as high as an elephant's eye, to borrow a phrase, and the humor is as broad as an elephant's butt. If you liked the 'Airplane!' and 'Naked Gun' movies, chances are you'll like 'Shucked.' If you didn't, chances are you won't. The pacing gets a bit sluggish at times, especially at the top of Act Two, but for the most part 'Shucked' careens from scene to scene like 'Hee-Haw' on acid. For some reason, a clownish minor character gets a mystifying moment in the spotlight that stops the show — and not in a good way. Advertisement On balance, though, 'Shucked' delivers the goods. The silly-smart script, by book-writer Robert Horn, is genuinely funny, not just a bridge to the next song, as is so often the case in musicals. Advertisement And in any case the next song is usually a good one: Composer-lyricists Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally have crafted a country-and-pop-flavored score that moves fluidly across the emotional spectrum, abetted by fine work from the orchestra, conducted by music director Nick Williams. Scott Pask's set consists of a large, wooden proscenium-like structure that envelops and looms over the casts. When the corn starts dying, the residents of Cob County mostly dither and fret. But a young woman named Maizy (of course), played with an appealing combination of vivacity and grit by Danielle Wade, decides to take action. She sets out on a search for a cure, leaving behind her miffed fiancé, Beau (Jake Odmark, excellent), his ego wounded. Beau has a bit too much confidence in his corn-growing prowess. When Maizy reaches Tampa, she sees a sign advertising a 'Corn Doctor,' and thinks she has found Cob County's savior. She also thinks she's found a romantic interest to replace Beau. Has she? That sign refers to a podiatrist named Gordy (Quinn VanAntwerp), who has an eye for the main chance — and for the expensive bracelet in Maizy's possession. He envisions a financial windfall if he poses as a man with a plan to get the corn growing again. Quinn VanAntwerp as Gordy in "Shucked." Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman So he and Maizy journey back to Cob County. When Gordy meets Lulu (Miki Abraham), a blunt-as-it-gets whiskey distiller, matters of the heart get still more complicated. Abraham absolutely nails their big solo number, 'Independently Owned,' which is about a lot more than Lulu's distillery. Ditto for Wade's performance of 'Maybe Love,' a meditation-in-song about the mysterious workings of the human heart; and Odmark's defiant rendition of 'Somebody Will,' in which Beau voices his belief that he'll have no trouble finding another romantic partner. Advertisement Maya Lagerstam and Tyler Joseph Ellis prove to be invaluable as the Storytellers who comment upon the action, as is Mike Nappi as Peanut, Beau's endearingly dim brother. Lagerstam in particular reliably delivers bursts of energy and humor. 'Shucked' ran on Broadway from April 2023 to January 2024. On Tony night in June 2023, This production of 'Shucked' won't make history, but it will make you laugh. Or, you know, groan. SHUCKED Book by Robert Horn. Music and lyrics by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally. Directed by Jack O'Brien. Choreography, Sarah O'Gleby. Orchestration and arrangements, Jason Howland. Presented by Broadway In Boston. At Citizens Opera House, Boston. Through April 20. Tickets start at $40. Don Aucoin can be reached at
Boston Globe
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
In the musical ‘Shucked,' corn is the joke, but also a way to unite people
When 'Shucked' debuted in New York in 2023, the all-original musical arrived with an air of mystery, with its ubiquitous bright yellow half-shucked ear-of-corn logo. Many theatergoers were perplexed, wondering, 'What is this show all about?' Soon, audiences were falling head-over-heels for its parade of puns, sharp-edged humor, country and bluegrass-flavored score, and heartrending message of love and acceptance. 'Shucked' went on to be nominated for nine Tony awards, including Best Musical, with Advertisement Set in the corn-crazy rural outpost of Cob County and narrated by two Storytellers (Tyler Joseph Ellis and Maya Lagerstam), 'Shucked' is a 'farm-to-fable' musical that finds sweethearts Beau (Jake Odmark) and Maizy (Danielle Wade) planning their wedding just as all the county's corn begins to die off. To save the town, plucky Maizy sets off for the big city of Tampa, to the objections of a frustrated Beau, to find a solution for the wilting corn. There, she locates a 'corn doctor' named Gordy (Quinn Vanantwerp), who's really a podiatrist, to help her heal Cob County's beloved cash crop. But it turns out Gordy is actually a con man in debt to the mob, and he sees Maizy and the mineral-rich town as the solution to his problems. Mike Nappi as Peanut in "Shucked." Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman When Maizy brings Gordy back to Cob County, her no-nonsense cousin and best friend Lulu (Miki Abraham), who runs the local whiskey distillery, sees straight through this grifter's lies, but starts to develop a soft spot for him. She also sings the show's barn-burning anthem, 'Independently Owned.' Then there's Beau's sweet-natured brother Peanut (Mike Nappi), who charms with his aww-shucks persona and deadpan quips. 'It's a story about how change is not as scary as we think it is and we have so much more capacity for love than we think we do,' says Abraham, who plays Lulu on tour and was part of the original Broadway cast. 'Sometimes we can be set in our ways and set in our thinking, but growth and change is really what life is about.' Advertisement Inspired by classic musicals like 'The Music Man,' 'Oklahoma!,' and 'Brigadoon,' the show toys with the tropes of musical comedy—the small town, the conman, the young lovers—and gives them a unique spin. But it's important, Horn says, that they never make fun of the characters. 'People would wait outside of the stage door afterwards and say to us, 'I'm from the Midwest or from the South, and I saw myself and my community on that stage,'' he says. 'We realized we had tapped into something without condescending and making fun of people, but celebrating the differences of who we are in this country.' Indeed, the show blends snarky irreverence and heartfelt affection, wholesomeness with a smidge of the devilishly ribald—whether it's Maizy's grandpa saying of his deceased wife, 'She was a good woman who died doing what she loved; making toast in the bathtub' or the Storytellers calling Cob County 'a place where Roe versus Wade is just a debate about the best way to cross a small river.' Horn is no-holds-barred in his joke-spinning, Comedy and laughter, Horn attests, was 'a survival mechanism' he relied on to make it through a difficult childhood. 'I make jokes out of everything. That's just the way my mind works.' Quinn VanAntwerp as Gordy and Miki Abraham as Lulu in "Shucked." Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman The seeds for 'Shucked' were first sown when Horn and producers from Opry Entertainment began developing a musical based on the cornpone 1969-93 variety series 'Hee Haw.' Horn met with various Nashville-based songwriters, but Clark and McAnally, who had written hit songs for country stars like Kacey Musgraves and Miranda Lambert, felt different. Advertisement 'Within the first five minutes there was this chemistry and common bond between us, and we knew we had to work together,' Horn says of the three openly-gay artists. 'We know what it's like to feel like an outcast or ostracized at times.' When his twin sister passed away a few years ago, Clark called Horn up to offer her condolences and support. ''I'm your sister now,'' he recalls her saying. For Clark, Broadway had always been a dream. 'I love musical theater. So it was a bucket list for me to write a musical,' she says. 'But as a Nashville songwriter, I never really thought I'd get a chance to do it.' The trio's initial foray, 'Moonshine: The Hee Haw Musical,' debuted at Dallas Theater Center in 2015. But the cornpone show didn't work, Horn says, because it lacked a compelling story and a resonant message, so they set it aside. A few years later, the group reassembled with the idea of starting from scratch. They kept two songs from 'Moonshine' and some of the jokes, but most of the script 'fell away,' Horn says. Tony Award-winning director Jack O'Brien ('Hairspray') joined the team and urged them to raise the stakes and give the new story more gravitas, Horn says. 'He never wanted the show to be so light that it floated away.' The resulting show 'became something more true to us and who we are as artists,' says Horn, who's now working on a stage adaptation of the 1997 Disney film 'Hercules.' Advertisement Ultimately, the 'Shucked' takeaway is about learning to 'accept people who are different than you,' Horn says. 'I put that up on the wall in the rehearsal room, because that was the message we kept wanting to come back to.' The 'Shucked' journey was a long and winding road that consumed a decade of its creators' lives. But hit-makers Clark and McAnally are taking a different outlook for a new musical they're working on with Horn, adapted from a movie that was inspired by a true story. 'I'm not so concerned about the finish line now,' Clark said. 'I can enjoy the process of discovering these characters and writing these songs. The first time, Shane and my focus was really, 'How do we get this thing to Broadway?' Because we hadn't done it before.' 'I've got to see so many of my dreams come true, but I don't know if I've ever been higher than I was when 'Shucked' opened in previews on Broadway,' Clark adds. 'It was a really great surprise that people embraced us.' SHUCKED Book by Robert Horn, music and lyrics by Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, presented by Broadway in Boston. At: Citizens Opera House, April 8-20. Tickets: from $40;
