Review: Shanties and smiles all round as Fisherman’s Friends sails into Milton Keynes

"You're in for a real treat," suggested a friend who went to see Fisherman's Friends: The Musical in Birmingham a couple of weeks ago. He was right.

Fisherman's Friends is based on the true story of a group of singers from Cornwall's picturesque Port Isaac who get together to sing traditional sea shanties. Many of the shanties had been passed down through the generations and are basically catchy working choruses which are sung as the fishermen haul in their nets or pull up the anchors.

Written by Amanda Whittington and directed by James Grieve, it features loads of catchy shanties made famous by the band including Keep Haulin’, Nelson's Blood and No Hopers Jokers & Rogues.

With stage lights dimmed at the opening sequence, you can just make out the outline of a small craft being buffeted by the sea. It immediately reminds the audience just how fragile life can be as these men risk everything at the mercy of the elements. But once the a cappella singing starts, you witness the men working together in perfect harmony. They're then joined on stage by a superb band playing mainly traditional instruments who also join in with the singing and dancing.

It's a story of real comradeship among the fishermen and, when Danny Anderson (Jason Langley), an ex-A&R man with Island Records pops into the local pub, he's so impressed with their harmonies and overall sound, that he suggests they make a demo recording in the hope he can secure them a record deal.

At first they're all rather sceptical of his enthusiasm but Danny soon fits in and wins them over, even though pub landlord and landlady Rowan (Dan Buckley) and Sally (Hazel Monaghan) are worried that success could interfere with their cosy community.

Danny, who starts off as an arrogant wideboy, strikes up a relationship with Alwyn (Parisa Shahmir), the attractive daughter of the singing group’s leader Jim (James Gaddas) – and predictably Jim really wants this village interloper to stay well away from his daughter! But it's Danny (who incidentally has a great singing voice) who becomes the butt of many of the fishermen's jokes. I particularly loved Alwyn's rendition of Village by the Sea.

Special mention of Robert Duncan as Jago (Jim's dad), Anton Stephans (Leadville), Pete Gallagher (Wiggy), Dakota Starr (Ben) and Hadrian Delacey (Archie) who all had remarkable voices while I've loved Susan Penhaligon (Maggie) since seeing her in the 1974 television drama Bouquet of Barbed Wire.

The magical harmonies had the audience on their feet. Meanwhile thanks to Danny's persuasive nature, the group had risen to recording stardom and also found themselves playing the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury!

Besides the wonderful singing, there's also plenty of dancing and Matt Cole's choreography easily switches from inside Port Isaac's Golden Lion pub to a trendy London gay bar via the Cornish village's sea wall! Full marks also to Lucy Osborne’s clever set which creates just the right atmosphere.

Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical is truly a feel-good show and I left the theatre humming at least one of its catchy shanties.

The show runs until Saturday. Visit atgtickets.com/MiltonKeynes to book.