Sh!t Theatre: Or What’s Left of Us at Soho Theatre
Cult-hit Sh!t Theatre are back with a joke-laden folk music sing-a-long that’s unexpectedly powerful.
Reading nothing but the show’s description, one would be forgiven for thinking that Sh!t Theatre: Or What’s Left of Us is just two funny people singing folk music because that’s kind of a fun thing to do right now and it takes the mind off the news. And that’s exactly what this is, except then it gets deep.
Performers and creators, Lousie Mothersole and Rebecca Biscuit, regale the crowd with age-old folk songs and the real-life story of how they got into the folk scene. Singing along is encouraged (but not enforced) and they do a wonderful job of filling the room with joy. But there’s an undercurrent of something darker running throughout. It may be a fun folk sing-a-long, but it’s also a show about devastating grief. A lighthearted stomp-to-the-beat romp before as they build you up only to run you down with an emotional lorry at the end.
The joke craft is excellent. Clever wit ties songs together as they tell their story, keeping death a lively topic as it so often is folk music. In fact, the writing in general is smooth. The delicate script is incredibly economic, saying so much in so few words.
The set looks as if it’s mostly made up of items raided from the Irish pub down the road; a few barrels, a wooden pew, some tankards. But this is a show that doesn’t need anything more than the performers themselves and these set pieces show a great care for wanting to go the extra mile to create a folksy, boozy, fun atmosphere.
Add to that the really special element, a huge four-piece illustration hanging across the back of the stage, and they’ve got an excellent set-up. In the style of woodblock prints, the kind found on the cover of just about any book of British folklore published since c 2010, the illustration is filled with elements from traditional folklore mixed with lots of big and small details from Louise and Rebecca’s story.
This isn’t a normal Sh!t Theatre show. They’re quick to point out that they don’t have their trademark white face paint, there are no original songs and there aren’t as many jokes. But it’s still a great Sh!t Theatre show.
Jim Compton-Hall
Photo: Courtesy of Soho Theatre
Sh!t Theatre: Or What’s Left of Us is at Soho Theatre from 18th November 2024 until 1st March 2025. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.
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