I am not sure there are enough words to say just how incredible this show is. Improvised musical comedy is hard to do, but the team at Baby Wants Candy pull it off superbly with this 60 minute off the cuff musical spectacular! 

The show starts with an introduction of what to expect over the evening.  We will be watching a performance of the hit musical Hamilton…or will we? The audience are invited to suggest famous names to be included within the show and the cast will then improvise songs and scenes using these suggestions. We were given options such as Tony Hawke, Cleopatra or Derek Zoolander, then based upon audience applause the main character for the night is chosen as The Shark from Jaws and hilarity ensues. Before they begin, the audience must list the things they know about the shark from jaws, we learn she was a mother, she was maybe just misunderstood, but mainly…she killed a lot of kids on a beach, and no one ever went in the water again! 

The story begins and we meet The Shark from Jaws, who has just lost her entire family – all except her son Nemo. We follow her story as she vows to take revenge on the humans of Cape Cod for what they did to her family. Other characters are introduced such as a Kraken, The Loch Ness Monster and The Mayor of Amity Island.  Although this is called ‘Shamilton’ it doesn’t hugely follow the plot of the original musical it takes its name partially from, however there are some nice nods to it in terms of costuming and the style of the songs. 

No two shows of Shamilton will be the same – they make a point of saying some characters they’ve used previously to ensure they don’t get picked again. This means that everything feels fresh, new and exciting. 

The thing I cannot get over is the speed in which this cast put together the show. You watch as they form an entire 60-minute musical in front of your eyes, improvising full musical numbers, scenes and jokes. This is a masterclass in musical improv comedy. Of course the cast are all well versed in their craft and work beautifully as a team but even with that, the way they seamlessly pull it all together is something to behold.  I was left in awe of their talents and would go and see this show every night if I could as I know it would be a completely different experience every time! 

This show was reviewed on the 19th August 2024 at Assembly George Square Studios, Edinburgh where it runs until the 25th August 2024.  Tickets here: Shamilton! The Improvised Hip-Hop Musical | Comedy | Edinburgh Festival Fringe (edfringe.com)

Review written by Rosie Browne

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Photo credit: Laurence Winram

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