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Lady Liv, Koko Alexandra, The Cotton Club’s star turn with Rev, Cameron Bernard Jones in the rear. Pictures: Ellie Kurttz Songs from Play On Birmingham Hippodrome The old theatrical adage that the show must go on was never more true than Press night for Play On where the wonderful Talawa Company, ravaged by illness, could have justifiably said sorry and cancelled, after all their leading lady and her understudy were both laid low. Play On could so easily have become Play Off, but performers perform, it’s in their blood, so they said their sorry, rolled up their sleeves and cobbled together a last minute splendid concert version of their jazz based musical version of Twelfth Night so as not to disappoint their audience. We had a late start as behind closed doors the cast and Talawa artistic director Michael Buffong worked out the format, running order, stage directions and script – this was live theatre on the hoof. The Hippodrome, a co producer of the show, also played its part with an offer for anyone who wanted to see the full version able to have a complimentary ticket for Friday or Saturday. So, what we got was a taste of Play On, the cast, or at least those still standing, in full costume, with snappy, remarkably lithe dance routines, and voices that had a hint of smoke-filled speakeasies and Cotton Club vibes.
Llewellyn Jamal as Jester and Tanya Edwards as Miss Mary. It might not have been what we went to see but it was one hell of an appetiser for the main course if you wanted to take up the Hippodrome offer. Buffong, who is also the director, sitting by the bar at the side of the stage, gave us the low down on what was happening as we discover the club’s band leader, The Duke, Earl Gregory, has the hots for Lady Liv, Koko Alexandra, who is The Cotton Club’s star turn. She is also the dream of Rev, Cameron Bernard Jones, the prim and proper, uncoolest cat in Harlem, and the Cotton Club manager. His transformation into a yellow Zoot suited, loose limbed baddest guy in town (beta version) is one of the highlights, a rebranding overseen by Lifford Shillingford as Sweets, Llewellyn Jamal as Jester and Tanya Edwards as Miss Mary. This is our Malvolio moment. Around them are a remarkably slick ensemble with dance steps that become a blur and stage rear a splendid five piece jazz combo, a group of musicians that are far too cool to be called a band. Between them they gave us some jazz standards from the Duke Ellington songbook with Koko Alexandra showing why Lady Liv is the club’s star turn with I ain t got nothin’ but the blues. Sweets and Jester having been dumped by their women, Miss Mary and the splendid Gleanne Purcell-Brown as Ceecee and finding solace in a bottle . . . or two, give us the drunken lament of lonely men with Rocks in My Bed. Among other standards were numbers such as the iconic Mood Indigo, a lovely duet from Rev and Lady Liv with Something to Live For, and of course. Ellington’s biggest hit, Take the A train. To their priceless credit Talawa and the cast, with no leading lady, managed to put on a show, and a good one at that, full of enthusiasm, charm and bursting with life. It was a remarkable effort and last night they really did Play On. The run of Play On continues to 09-11-24. Roger Clarke 06-11-24 |
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