Parisa Shahmir is currently playing the role of Alwyn in the UK and Ireland tour of Fisherman's Friends the musical after also being part of the show in its UK premiere in Cornwall. Her other credits include Gerda in The Snow Queen, (The Rose Theatre), Layla in We Live in Cairo (American Repertory Theater), Young Meg in The Last Ship, (Northern Stage, UK & Ireland Tour) and Mamma Mia! (UK Tour, NGM/ Littlestar).
Having not long opened the show, we caught up with Parisa and chatted about all things Fisherman's Friends!
Fisherman’s Friends the musical is based on a true story and the 2019 hit film, what was your experience of the story before auditioning for the show?
I’d actually never seen the movie before auditioning, but my parents had and they loved it, my dad in particular! I was careful not to tell him about the audition until after I’d got the job because I didn’t want to get his hopes up. Needless to say, he was thrilled when I got the part. He plays the shanties in the car all the time, Drunken Sailor is his favourite.
Tell us a little bit about the show and your character, Alwyn.
The show tells the story of a sea shanty band made up of a group of Fishermen from Port Issac, Cornwall and their voyage to greatness with the help of Danny Anderson, an A&R representative from Island Record. My character, Alwyn, is the daughter of one of the fishermen, Jim Penburthy. She goes on an emotional voyage of her own throughout the piece. Similar to me, she is a singer-songwriter and plays and sings for the folks at the local pub, the Golden Lion, regularly. She’s got a tough exterior but she feels fiercely and deeply and music really is everything to her. Alwyn is an incredible character to get to play every night and I honestly resonate with her and her story so much. This is such a luxury as an actor and I feel so lucky to get to play a part that feels like it has so much of me in it.
