Shoe Dunnit – The Musical enjoyed a nine-day run at theSpace on the Mile, showcasing its original pop-rock musical.
Inspired by the unlikely premise of a shoe theft, the storyline might sound like pure parody but this witty production proved it had far more ‘sole’ than expected.
Set in the Cafe L’Arte, the story follows Emily, a young woman who discovers she can resolve her customers’ life issues one by one through the power of song. It’s a heartfelt celebration of music’s transformative influence and its ability to change lives.
Original songs and a continuous storytelling thread wove through the show, ranging from upbeat pop numbers to heartfelt ballads. However, the pace of the music felt a little too frantic at moments for the narrative, with the volume occasionally overpowering the cast’s impressive vocal stylings.
At times, the tightly packed storytelling left little room for the script to breathe, although it may have meant to be portrayed as seamless in performance, it meant in parts the musical was moving so quickly that the audience barely had time to absorb one line before the next arrived.
A reunited family quickly becomes the heart of the plot, with Laura’s struggles with her parents taking centre stage. Despite her young age, Laura (Ella) delivers a standout performance, stealing the show with her emotive vocals in tracks such as ‘Hey Mum and Dad’. A powerful performance that’s one to be remembered.
Elisa Scarito shines as Emily, delivering both vocally and dramatically in the opening and closing ballad ‘I Miss You’. With her commanding stage presence and emotive acting, she feels like a star in the making.
As with any musical, the songs take centre stage with no less than 11 within the show, and several remain memorable even days later, particularly the powerful ballad ‘The Arts Must Not Be Silenced’, a standout highlight that perfectly captures the impact and power of music.
Shoe Dunnit – The Musical delivered a tight performance from an exceptionally talented young cast. As the group’s final performance drew to a close, the cast’s emotions were plain to see and played testament to the journey they had shared on stage at the world’s largest arts festival.
⭐⭐⭐
Shoe Dunnit – The Musical has now completed its Fringe run.