Shucked | Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

“Corn! We’re talking corn!” Welcome to Cob County, a town literally surrounded by a corn wall, which keeps the townsfolk safe from the outside world…until the corn starts dying. Masie, who is engaged to be married, decides to ‘temporarily’ abandon her wedding to save the corn. Arriving in Tampa, she unwittingly discovers a con man in the form of a corn doctor. Maybe he’s the answer to saving more than just the corn…

This show first opened on Broadway in 2023 and was considered a great success. Since closing in 2024, it has been on tour across America, which is ongoing until 2025. The current production at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre marks the show's official London debut. 

The design of this show (Scott Pask) perfectly suits the wooden boards of the outdoor stage space, especially given the context of the show itself. The costumes (Tilly Grimes) for the townsfolk are the epitome of the phrase ‘country bumpkin’ in the best way: farm wear with a splash of colourful patchwork. With all of this beautiful blending of styles, it makes sense that the Tampa costumes are in stark contrast, creating an uncomfortably jarring effect. 

The set, which consists of a deconstructed and slanted barn structure, may look simple at first glance, but it's actually surprisingly detailed. The imperfection works really well as it breaks with the idyllic idea of an almost utopian town in the countryside. The wheel on set pieces are in keeping with this rustic and naturalistic style, helping the show to stay grounded in spite of its brilliantly bizarre premise. 

Corn. This musical is actually about corn…or is it? Generally speaking, the book of a musical can be the make or break. Without a strong book, it's hard to engage with the story, characters or even understand the purpose of the songs. Robert Horn has clearly mastered this art. His writing style for this show in particular feels like an amalgamation of the best of British comedy. He’s not afraid to throw in a terrible pun or dad joke alongside bits akin to sketch comedy and stand up, especially within the character of Peanut who is arguably the funniest character. 

Not to mention Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally’s music and lyrics, which are anything but podunk. Channelling the subtly-sentimental comedic style of the book, the songs are incredibly strong and very catchy. They have a powerful country-with-a-twist sound to them, and the lyrics work particularly well because of how memorable and simply poetic but naturalistic they are. They keep in mind character voice, meaning that they align well with how the character would usually talk, allowing the spoken scenes to smoothly transition into the musical numbers. The songs also enable the actors to show off the best of their skills with the vocal ranges required to pull them off.

The cast of this show matches the strength of the libretto to the extent that its hard to point out any one actor. From Ben Joyce’s hell-raising rendition of “Somebody Well” to Georgina Onuorah’s storming performance of “Independently Owned” bringing the barn down with corn-shaking belting and female empowerment, and Matthew Seadon-Young’s seedy and smoothly manipulative portrayal of Gordy. Not to mention the truly outstanding comedic talents of Keith Ramsay, who gives Peanut his all and leaves us all in hysterics from the second he enters the stage space. His timing is spot on and we find ourselves bracing ourselves for whatever wild thing Peanut is going to say next. 

It must be said that Shucked isn’t lacking in substance and doesn’t use comedy for the sake of it, it's a show making a statement. More and more of the shows we are seeing on British stages are starting to challenge traditional values and the possible effects this may have. This show is no exception. It by no means condemns tradition, rather it argues for moderation. For being open to meeting new people and experiencing new cultures, mixing the best parts of modernism and tradition. It encourages genuine connection and, in spite of having two romantic arcs, showcases strong and emotionally honest friendships. It advocates for change in the best ways, showing that making mistakes and learning from is a healthy part of the growth process. That failure should be okay and actively embraced. 

Fundamentally this show puts forward the idea that we, as a society, should be led by genuine and pure unselfish love. That’s what, alongside the comedy, makes this show feel so warm and joyous to watch. 

A true light in the dark and the best brain break, Shucked will wake you up to give you permission to laugh and be childish and stupid for a bit. You’ll leave the show feeling significantly more uplifted and blissfully excited than when you walked in. 

Shucked runs at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre until Saturday 14th June 2025.

Tickets and More Information

★★★★★ (5*)

Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | Photography by Pamela Raith