When it comes to a cappella groups competing against each other and even putting on showstopping concerts, the movie Pitch Perfect springs to mind - and anyone who has seen the film will know exactly what I’m talking about.

But it’s just not confined to university students in the US – universities in the UK also take part and Bushey showman Edward Scott is an award-winning enthusiast. The 22-year-old former Parmiter’s pupil is now starring in the a cappella musical Broadway hit Gobsmacked!, and I caught up with him to find out more.

Can you tell me about your role in Gobsmacked!?

Gobsmacked! is an entirely a cappella show – meaning there are no instruments involved, real or electronic. Everything you hear comes from the human voice. As the bass singer in the show, I spend most of my time singing – you guessed it – basslines! It’s a lot of fun, and a very different kind of singing from what people are used to hearing, with an emphasis on rhythm and stability rather than melody.

Can you summarise what Gobsmacked! is about?

In the vein of shows like Stomp and The Blue Man Group, Gobsmacked! forgoes a conventional plot and instead focusses on a theatrical experience. It straddles the boundary between a concert and a musical – we’re definitely in character on stage, but we worked closely with our brilliant director Alexandra Spencer-Jones to create characters that are extensions of parts of ourselves. So, for instance, my character is on the surface a stereotypical nerd, but he harbours a dark secret that gets released during the show... Don’t worry though - I’m basically the light relief.

What can audiences expect?

To be – as the title suggests – gobsmacked. Most people haven’t been exposed much to contemporary a cappella - they might have heard a barber shop group or seen a beatboxer busking, so to see seven vocalists from around the world on a huge set, singing through an incredibly powerful sound system, can be an almost overwhelming experience. Not to mention the fact that our beatboxer, Ball-Zee, is three-times UK champion and current team champion of the world. But it’s not all full-on; there’s so many songs people will want to sing along with, and a great deal of comedy in the show.

How did you get involved?

I sung contemporary a cappella at the University of Exeter for three years with an all-male ensemble called Semi-Toned. We were fortunate enough to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe annually, and won the national UK championships in 2015. We made lots of friends in the rapidly growing UK collegiate a cappella scene. Thanks to these connections, I was involved in a workshop for Gobsmacked! back in January 2015. When the concept received funding, I was invited to audition for the bass part, and I was lucky enough to get the job.

Is this your first London show? If so, how are you feeling about it?

It is. I’ve performed with Gobsmacked! at the Edinburgh Fringe and in Hong Kong, both of which were amazing experiences, but to perform in London is something else. So many incredible artists live and work in London. I’m very excited to be commuting from home every day, and to call the Southbank my workplace.

What are you most nervous about and what are you looking forward to the most about the performance?

There are always nerves on opening night - Gobsmacked! is a very technical production, so it’s about more than just bringing your A-game musically. You have to be physically and mentally focussed for the whole show, as there’s a lot going on ‘behind the scenes’ to create an amazing experience for the audience. But after performing the show a couple of times you settle into a groove, and it’s a real pleasure to show it to a new crowd every day and see the show anew through their eyes.

Have there been any funny moments during rehearsals?

Too many to count! We’re all very close as a cast and I think that laughter is our number one way of coping with the stress of rehearsals. Unfortunately most of the humour is very much an in-joke, so not much of it would make sense to outside ears.

Growing up, did you always wanted to be in theatre?

Not at all. I was quite an academic child – my first dream job was to be an archaeologist. I moved away from science to the humanities at school, and thought of going into writing, but only at university did I really settle on wanting to make a cappella my career.

The theatrical side of Gobsmacked! is where I’m least experienced, to be honest – but I’ve learnt so much from my other cast members, whose backgrounds vary widely from opera to musical theatre, and of course beatboxing. Though I’d put ‘musician’ on my CV, I’d never want to put myself in a box, and I’m keen to get into all kinds of creative work in future.

What was your first experience of the theatre?

I suspect it was probably panto - my dad used to take me, my brothers, and some friends every year with his work, and afterwards we would get to meet Father Christmas. The real one, mind.

How often do you see shows in your local area?

We’d go to the Watford Palace pantomime every year, of course, as well as local amateur dramatics shows in Falconer Hall. I was involved in a few am dram plays and pantos there myself in my teens; singing a laundry-based version if I Will Survive as Wishee-Washee in Aladdin was a particular highlight.

Can you tell me more about yourself, what do you like to do in your spare time?

I’m a keen runner, and I’m currently in training for my first 50km ultra-marathon event in September. I also love to cook vegan food, write and play music recreationally, and - something I’ve only reignited a passion for recently - read.

What and where did you study?

I studied English at the University of Exeter. I’m really glad I didn’t take music, as I think the pressures you face in university studies might have taken a bit of the joy out of it for me. For three years my musical experience was just singing with my best friends in Semi-Toned - I even got to tour the east coast of the USA with them. They were fantastic times and invaluable to my development as a person and as a musician. I would like to do a masters in composition one day, though.

Do you have anything in the pipeline after Gobsmacked?

For now, more Gobsmacked!. After London we’re performing at the Sydney Opera House for a week at the end of July, and then heading straight to the Edinburgh Fringe for a month. Hopefully the show will continue to tour and maybe even take up a permanent spot some day, becoming as much a part of the London theatre scene as Stomp and Les Mis. I’m keen to start up and be involved with other creative, more experimental projects in the future, too, so watch this space.

Underbelly Festival, South Bank Centre, Belvedre Road, London, SE1 8XX, until July 17. Details: 0207 5809644, gobsmackedtheshow.com