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A dream of a show
Dreamboats and Miniskirts
New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham
***** THIS jukebox
musical is a sequel to
Dreamboats and Petticoats,
shifting the musical spotlight from fifties rock and roll to sixties
pop, but retaining the same winning formula. Once again, the formidable Bill Kenwright
production machine is behind the show, ensuring high production values
and a good quality cast. BAFTA-award winning script writers Laurence Marks
and Maurice Gran also return to keep the action moving between songs
around three couples, Bobby and Laura, Norman and Sue and Ray and Donna
. The 1960s was pop’s golden era and provides a
treasure trove of musical material to plunder, every song will be
familiar. Musically, it is pretty much impossible for the show to fail,
and it doesn’t, from the opening Joe Brown’s chart topping hit
Picture of You, to the end some forty numbers later. St Mungo’s Youth Club in Essex is once again
where the action mainly unfolds, opening as The Conquests are re-joined
by Bobby (Alex Beaumont), who agrees to return to the band as the lead
singer having split with Laura (Elizabeth Carter). The latter is the star of the show, on her own
with You Don’t Own Me ,and as part of a trio, with a beautiful
version of All You Have To Do Is Dream, Sue (Louise Olley) and
Donna(Anna Campkin) harmonising wonderfully with her. All the music is played live under musical
director Michael Kantola with his versatile band. Chloe Edwards-Wood
(tenor sax and clarinet) and Charlotte Peak (bass saxophone and flute)
excel, - and they dance too! Effort is spent on the detail, Chris Coxon
switched to playing a left-handed Paul McCartney-style Hofner violin
bass in The Beatles’ Twist and Shout, his bass playing throughout
was outstanding Norman (Ross William Wild) – may be down on his
luck as a sewage disposal worker on the drains – but he can belt out a
song, most memorably on Hippy Hippy Shake Alan Howell as
Tony impresses on House of the Rising Sun, a harbinger of
shifting musical tastes. No-one with nostalgia for the period and music
will leave Dreamboats and Miniskirts disappointed. A lightweight story
is enhanced by some neat comedy and witty one-liners, the music is a joy
and the audience sing and dance along with an exuberant cast. To
18-10-14 Gary Longden
13-10-14 Memories are made of this **** IT’S inevitable that the audiences will
wonder how this sequel to Dreamboats and Petticoats will compare with
the hugely popular original, but there’s no need for concern. Written by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, this
musical is simply bursting with hits that bring memories of the swinging
sixties flooding back, and there’s hardly a dull moment. Even though the story itself lacks a little
depth, with bits and pieces about on-off relationships between wannabe
pop stars, there isn’t much spare room with more than 40 cracking songs
to get through. Bobby and Laura want another crack at stardom,
but fall out, as they link up again with talented pals Ray and Donna and
Norman and Sue. Alex Beaumont (Bobby) and Elizabeth Carter
(Laura) have perfect voices for the songs, and there are excellent
performances from Ross William Wild (Norman), Louise Olley (Sue), David
Luke (Ray) and Anna Campkin (Donna) as the cast deliver hits like I
Only Want to be With You, Venus in Blue Jeans, Twist and Shout, Be My
Baby, Oh Pretty Woman, and many more. The on-stage band are terrific, with a special
mention for Chloe Edwards-Wood and Charlotte Peak who have roles in the
story while also playing tenor sax and bass sax beautifully. To 18.10.14 Paul Marston
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