Gobsmacked! at the Udderbelly, Southbank

Opening in London this summer, a new a capella musical is delighting audiences at South Bank’s popular overturned purple cow – aka the Udderbelly Festival. Gobsmacked! has is all: first-class vocals and astounding beatboxing that push the boundaries of what the human voice is capable of.

The beatboxing in particular sets the show apart from its counterparts. The packed venue cheered with amazement as Ball-Ze took to the stage to show off his impressive and unique musical style. The whole cast belted out well known tunes for the hour-long performance, displaying a huge vocal range and weaving a story told through all forms of a cappella, from traditional street corner harmonies to cutting edge multi-track live looping. Creative arrangements of popular classic and contemporary songs (including tracks by The Killers, Prince, Queen and Adele) had the audience clapping along. Mixed in with subtle humour from the talented cast, the performance was wholly engaging and fun.

With the growing popularity of on-screen hits such as Glee and Pitch Perfect and groups such as Pentatonix and Naturally 7, a capella has been catapulted from street corners to stadiums. Gobsmacked! joins these revolutionary performers in sharing the delights of vocal music by delivering a beautifully crafted show that can be enjoyed by all ages. The musical not only showcases modern a cappella at its best but also tells an urban tale of love, loss and redemption.

Gobsmacked! is showcasing its mesmerising harmonies and beatboxing at the Udderbelly Festival until mid-July, after which the cast and crew will be heading overseas to reveal its talent to audiences in Australia. So buy a ticket to this unique and thrilling musical whilst it is still in London to kick-start the summer months!

Laura Ewing
Photo: Li Baoyu

Gobsmacked! is on at the Udderbelly, Southbank from 16^th June until 17^th July 2016, for further information or to book visit here.

Watch the trailer for Gobsmacked! here: