Mayflower Theatre, Southampton – until 12 October 2019
Reviewed by Jo Gordon
4****
Based on Berry Gordy’s book about the ups and downs of setting up and maintaining his Motown label, Motown the Musical is proving to be popular with theatre goers. Starting right at the very beginning when an ambitious young Berry (Edward Baruwa) convinces his family to give him $800 to fund the birth of his record company we see how through hard-work and his nurturing of rising stars such as Smokey Robinson (Nathan Lewis), Marvin Gaye (Reece Richard) and the great Diana Ross (Karis Anderson), Motown Records becomes the biggest company of its time producing hit after hit. It was however, not just about the hits, it was bringing black artists to the forefront in a time where Martin Luther King was fighting for the rights of black people, the anti Vietnam war rallies were happening and JFK had been assassinated. As bigger record companies began offering Berry’s artists more money to jump ship would his established musical institution be no more?
Put simply, the whole cast are an amazingly talented bunch and each costume change, dance move and characteristic bring the glamour and soul that is Motown to life. Sixty-three huge tunes are used in the show and most probably you will know most if not all of them and there is plenty of opportunity for audience participation!
Clever use of projection on set shows news stories, film, TV and photographs of the time which all help add to the magic of placing us in the right decades and providing backdrops to the performers as they rise through the billings.
Not just a show for fans of the record label as the younger generation will recognise the music as even now Motown influences can be heard in many modern artists music. Alongside the story at the very heart of Berry’s empire it makes an absolute hit of a show. I left with not only a better knowledge of that story but also a warm fuzzy glow as I recollected memories of many an 80’s family wedding where my Mother and Aunties, possibly fuelled by one to many a Babycham would congregate on the dance floor like the West Midlands answer to Diana and her Supremes …..and long may they continue!