Grand Opera House York – until 7 October. Reviewed by Michelle Richardson
4****
Featuring the hits of the iconic 60’s singer Dusty Springfield, a brand new musical Son of a Preacher Man has arrived at the Grand Opera House in York this week.
Son of a Preacher Man is set in the present day and tells the tale of three strangers, generations apart who are drawn to the site of former Soho joint The Preacher Man, the place to be seen in the 60’s. The trio, Kat (Diana Vickers), Alison (a youthful Debra Stephenson) and Paul (Michael Rowe), hope to seek advice about love from ‘The Preacher Man’. Paul was one of the “crowd”, now wanting to reconnect with an unrequited lost love from back then. Alison is a widowed tutor with feelings that she can’t decide are truly appropriate. Kat has just lost her grandmother, who was full of stories about The Preacher Man and has been delving into the world of online dating, only to be snubbed by “the man of her dreams”.
They are instead greeted with his son Simon (Ian Reddington), who with the help from the wonderful Cappuccino Sisters, runs a coffee shop which is sadly lacking the spirit of The Preacher Man. Simon is quiet, meek and living under the shadow of his father, but at the same time unable to move forward. After much persuasion he seeks to channel the spirit of The Preacher Man to give the lovesick strangers The Look of Love.
Directed and choreographed by Strictly Come Dancing’s Craig Revel Horwood, the show does have a feel good factor and features some of Springfield’s best known songs, I Only Want To Be With You, Nowhere To Run, Anyone Who Had A Heart and of course the title track Son of a Preacher Man.
Former X Factor contestant Diana Vickers has successfully made the transition into musical theatre, appearing here in York previously with The Rocky Horror Show, performed well with a strong vocal performance.
After a strange noise on stage Debra Stephenson had a fit of the giggles and couldn’t help herself, try as she might, apologising along the way, we did not hold it against her. The audience could not help but laugh along with her, and I must say a lot of admiration of the rest of the cast who carried on regardless.
Michael Rowe’s rendition of “I Close My Eyes and Count to Ten” with the Cappuccino Sisters, was sung with such passion that I just have to mention it.
All of the relatively small cast worked hard, some playing various instruments as well as singing and acting. They all looked like they were having a great time, which certainly made me feel that I was having a good time. Though the story was a bit silly and lacking at times I thoroughly enjoyed it and I was not the only one, listening as I was leaving the venue, to the comments of “what a great show”, ”wow, I really enjoyed that” etc.
So, as we now appear to be in the thick of autumn Son of a Preacher Man gives us an entertaining night out.