Blackpool Grand Theatre – until 29 April 2023
Reviewed by Debra Skelton
5*****
‘RAVE ON – That is what Blackpool is in for when watching this spectacular performance of Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story’
I have never had the opportunity to watch this production and was pleased to hear that it would be returning to The Blackpool Grand Theatre as part of its 2023 UK Tour.
For me this was a true evening of pure entertainment and delight and was a change to the musicals that I have seen recently that have been adapted from books and movies. To tell the true story and I mean the true story (not a tribute concert) off an extraordinary talent was to me a real challenge and it is hats off to writer and producer Alan Janes, director Matt Salisbury and musical director Dean Elliott for producing something so spectacular.
The production depicts the true story of Buddy Hollys rise to fame from the moment in 1957 when ‘That’ll Be The Day’ hit the airways until his tragic death at just 22 less than two years later after his legendary final performance at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa on 3rd February 1959.
Buddy started out as a Country & Western singer in Lubbock, Texas with his two friends Joe and Jerry (‘The Crickets’) and with the support of ‘Hipockets’ Duncan a local radio DJ, their career in music began.
After a less than successful start at Decca Records in Nashville, Buddy and the Crickets meet Norman Petty an up-and-coming innovative record producer with whom they sign a contract and immediately start recording ‘That’ll Be The Day’. The record rockets up the charts reaching number one and within a matter of weeks Buddy Holly & the Crickets become one the hottest act in the country.
Now that they have become successful, they travel to New York where Buddy meets Maria Elena Santiago the receptionist to his music publisher whom he proposes marriage too after only 5 hours of courtship. Now that he is married, Buddy shifts his focus to New York which ends up finding him in the pursuit of a solo career after a rift between himself and the Crickets which causes the band to split.
Buddy joins the ‘Winter Dance Party 1959’ travelling by bus through the Midwest with his final performance at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, with Ritchie Valens (“La Bamba”) and the ‘Big Bopper’ J.P. Richardson (“Chantilly Lace”). After the concert, Buddy breaks his promise to his pregnant wife not to fly as he and the other two headliners board a small plane and fly off into the night for Moorhead, Minnesota, only to crash into a ploughed field shortly after take-off.
The tragedy snatches away the lives of three dynamic musical talents – Buddy Holly (22), Ritchie Valens (17) and the Big Bopper (28) – and as the legend says, it was “the day the music died.”
This production starred Christopher Weeks as Buddy Holly, Miguel Angel as Ritchie Valens, Christopher Chandler as the Big Bopper and Thomas Mitchells as Hickpockets Duncan with the support of an incredible cast. Their voices can only be described as out of this world and along with their acting talents created such a presence on stage with a standing ovation at the end.
The Buddy Holly Story features two terrific hours of the greatest songs ever written, including That’ll Be The Day, Oh Boy, Rave On, La Bamba, Chantilly Lace, Johnny B. Goode, Raining In My Heart, Everyday, Shout and many many more.
The production also needs special thanks to Pete Cox for the wonderful sound, Darren Coopland for the dazzling lighting and Miguel Angel for the streamlined choreograph