York Theatre Royal – until 12th September 2026
Reviewed by Lauren Fordham
5*****
Wilko, Love and Death and Rock ‘n’ Roll is a biographical play about the life, career and death of 80s’ band Dr Feelgood guitarist, Wilko Johnson, written by Jonathan Maitland.
Fortunately the songs featured in the show are covers, like Route 66, so pre-existing knowledge of the band or the era isn’t necessary to enjoy the play – for which I am grateful, being of the generation that thinks – when Wilko’s is mentioned – of the departed homeware, hardware and pick ‘n’ mix store, having never come across the singer before I was invited to review the show.
Played by Johnson Willis, Wilko himself was adamant the show not be seen as a ‘jukebox’ musical but rather a play with music. He would be disappointed in this reviewer, then, because the opening bars of Simon Slater’s powerful music, coupled with James Stokes’ lighting the auditorium like an ethereal Milky Way and Wilko musing on his love of astronomy, instantly recalled the opening of ‘We Will Rock You’, with the words, ‘is this the real life or is this just fantasy?’
As portrayed in this play, Wilko’s real life straddled both of those realms – he defied an abusive father (played by David John) and a snobbish school teacher belittling his enunciation of words (John House) – to gain an English Literature degree. This English graduate reviewer was as entranced as his girlfriend-turned wife Irene (Lara Lemon) from the moment Wilko/Johnson quoted Wordsworth’s ‘Daffodils’ to his students lying in the grass, Dead Poet’s Society style.
Wilko enjoyed fantasy-level fame and female attention with Doctor Feelgood, enjoying lots of sex and drugs with his rock ‘n’ roll. This is exemplified in a spliff-taking scene with Irene, who is both beloved and beleaguered by his extra-marital sex with fans), and also after his cancer diagnosis, when he asked his doctor to give him morphine at the end of his life but to ensure he could enjoy its effects. Willis’ and Lemon’s chemistry is as sweet as it is heartbreaking when Irene dies of cancer, particularly at her funeral when he repeats the lines he said when they met.
James Stokes’ sound design gives a powerful sense of both space and place, whether through the waves and seagull calls surrounding Wilko’s beloved Canvey Island, or the meditative sounds of singing bowls during his visit to Japan.
Nicolai Hart-Hansen’s costumes underscore Wilko’s underlying vulnerability when he himself gets (pancreatic) cancer, with him in a flimsy hospital gown and in the ensemble in gloves and masks. Wilko has lovely fantasy reconnections with Irene and bandmate Lee Brilleaux when the latter have also died, but both costumes are subtle and their interactions tender, so they don’t feel like tacky ‘ghosts’.
But just as Jon House’s Lee Brilleaux says when he kicks Johnson out of ‘Dr Feelgood’, this isn’t just the Wilko Johnson or the Johnson Willis show. This is truly an ensemble show, and every single member is multi-talented – Georgina Field who plays Sparko, strums bass guitar, David John rocks out on the drums and John House is handy with a harmonica as well as singing.
But one vital person in Wilko’s story plays a life-changing role, as himself, yet isn’t credited in the programme at all. Charlie Chan is a surgeon and a rock photographer, who took pictures of Wilko at what he thought was his farewell tour in Camden in 2013 and was puzzled by how well he looked, for a man with terminal cancer. Chan contacted Wilko’s manager, encouraging him to get a second opinion, resulting in major surgery that extended Wilko’s life by a further nine years! Not to mention, Chan disclosed that, after taking audience questions in the post-show discussion last night, he was driving to Cheltenham to perform surgery at 9am the next morning! That kind of intuition and skill deserves a standing ovation of his own.
This is a fantastic, funny, heartfelt show that will make you contemplate and appreciate health, life, the universe and those you love, and the unifying, poetic and eternal power of words and music.