THE ALEXANDRA THEATRE, BIRMINGHAM – UNTIL SATURDAY 26TH MARCH 2022.
REVIEWED BY NADIA DODD
3***
The musical set in the swinging 60’s doesn’t have much of a storyline as such, a basic love story but certainly has some great tunes from the era when people had started to discover television, radio and live music. A time of innocence before streaming music would have ever been thought of.
The book by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran contains a few gags but nothing to have you doubled over belly laughing in the aisles. The story follows Bobby (played by David Ribi) and Laura (played by Elizabeth Carter) who are two young lovers but also musical performers, trying to navigate their relationship around having to spend time apart performing at different locations.
The cast link almost every other sentence to then lead into another song. It is a feel good show no matter if you could remember the music of the 60’s or not! Looking across the few rows in front of me within the stalls you could see heads bopping and swaying from side to side, obviously in appreciation.
It’s a very loose storyline, the show is aimed to showcase the music and the stunning vocals of the cast. The funniest moments were bought to the stage by David Benson who plays a few smaller parts but the main one being the brilliant Kenneth Williams. He did a fantastic impersonation of Kenneth which did raise some laughs. He has played this part before in a one man show, so he has this down to a tee.
The voice over at the start of the show reminds the audience that all the music played throughout the show is live, there’s a great band consisting of the guitar, bass, trombone, sax, clarinet, keyboard and of course drums. Lack of story content should not reflect on how incredibly talented this cast are.
Mark Winter, is featured in the show, a former pop star. He plays a manager for Laura who wants her boyfriend, Bobby also to get a break in stardom. Mark sang a medley of his old hits which the audience seemed to enjoy.
I would encourage anyone who loves the 60’s rock and roll era to go along, you won’t be disappointed, forget trying the follow the story, you will soon find yourself clapping your hands and stomping your feet to the music.