Having reviewed the fabulous Ken Dodd not so long ago click here at Tunbridge Wells I won't repeat myself as the show was just as great as it was then. In true Ken Dodd style just as long too at 5 hours, including the interval.
Illusionists Amethyst and excellent lady trumpeter, Joan Hind, made for much betters support acts though.
The main surprise for me was that I half expected Doddy to repeat the same jokes I had heard a year ago. Yet barely a pun was repeated.
Ken's 83 years of age now and to perform such incredibly long shows and to keep them fresh with new material is just outstanding.
There are many much younger artists who would never cope with the constant touring or the long hours he performs for each and every time. As variety shows go he must surely represent the best value for money in theatrical productions?
A packed Congress theatre thoroughly enjoyed this and the standing ovation was just a formality.
The Rattonians Company As always I will publish the massive cast in due course but I don't want to use the programme listing until the run is over
Well at the time of writing this I have to say that Eastbourne has it made at the moment having two superb summer shows within a couple of minutes walking distance of each other. Murder by Misadventure at the Devonshire Park and this wonderful staging of Anything Goes here at the Congress Theatre.
You could quite easily have a fantastic day of theatre catching a matinee of one show and then having a quick break before seeing the evening performance of the other.
It's always pleasurable, going to see a musical you've never seen before. A situation where you may be familiar with the odd song but you haven't got a clue about the subject matter. A tad of cultural ignorance can be a good thing at times.
For me this was the situation with Anything Goes. Apart from being aware that the music and lyrics are by Cole Porter, that it's a comedy and that it's based on a ship I knew nothing of the subject matter.
So for the likewise uninitiated here is a vague synopsis so avoid spoiling anything. The tale is based on board an ocean liner sailing from New
York to London. Madly in love with heiress Hope Harcourt, Billy Crocker is a stowaway desperately trying to stop her marrying her eccentric fiance Lord Evelyn Oakleigh. Famous nightclub singer Reno
Sweeney and gangster Moonface Martin aid (and abet) Billy in his search for his one true love.
The set is both impressive and ingenious. The, always marvellous, musicians were all dressed in appropriate sailor suits on the top deck. Meanwhile action amongst the cast can also occur on the top deck, the lower deck and in two "pull out" cabins which can be changed for various locations as the story unfolds. On occasions we even see gangplanks bringing 'guests' aboard from the auditorium.
Funny? Incredibly so. I smiled and laughed so much during the two and a quarter hour show that my mouth practically ached at the sides. There is just so much great humour that I could name so many of the cast members but Peter Gurr as Sir Evelyn Oakleigh played one of the best comedy roles I have ever seen. He is honestly almost worth going to see the show for in his own right.
Vocally, well The Rattonians have never disappointed on this front and they didn't fail tonight. Alex Adams and Chloe Shearer play Billy and Hope and work together beautifully.
James Hookway is always great in a comedy role and there could not have been a better choice to play public enemy number thirteen Moonface Martin.
I don't think I've mentioned her in a Rattonians review before but Jade Powers as Mrs Evangeline Harcourt was screechingly hysterical as she searched for missing dog Cheeky (played by sweet little Lola) . Also never mentioned before Roger Tomlinson who made a wonderful job of portraying the ship's captain as he desperately tried to find a famous guest to impress those on board.
The whole cast, as far as I was concerned were perfect. But I really think I owe a mention to Lucy Anderson who plays a girlfriend in this show. Now I don't know quite how she did it but only 3 weeks ago we watched Lucy's incredible performance in the BLODS production of Copacabana in Bexhill. Yet here she is undertaking the demanding vocal and choreography routines of Anything goes without a care in the world and without a foot out of place or a note out of tune. That is commitment and a huge well done to her!
The costumes were, as they always are just perfect but I'm going to end on the choreography. I have always been impressed with the routines in previous productions such as 42nd Street, Copacabana, Fame etc. But the routines in Anything Goes are really something else. Leading into the interval there is a massive routine to the title tune "Anything Goes". It seems to go on for an eternity. It has most, if not all, of the company on the stage and it appeared step perfect from everybody involved. The routine received a massive reaction from the audience and it leaves you going into the break on a real high.
Jan Lynton I have reviewed many of the shows you have quite wonderfully choreographed in Eastbourne yet I don't think I've ever given you the credit you deserve. So I think I'd better make up for it be saying this lady works so hard and takes so much pride in her work that you know you are always going to get a well produced dance routine. She also commands a huge respect from the theatrical companies she works with and from those involved in Eastbourne's theatres. Jan is a huge asset for so many shows, so well done your work is incredible and appreciated by so many.
That's it on Anything Goes now except to say do pick up a programme - they are complimentary this year - but please make a donation in the buckets for the Rattonians chosen charities. Because in addition to staging some of the best musicals you could see in Eastbourne they raise a heck of a lot of money for good causes.
Thanks Rattonians for Anything Goes and a thoroughly great evening's entertainment.
I am ensuring this is published well before the end of the run because I want others to appreciate this production. With top price tickets at just £15 and matinees at just £12.50 you will not find a better musical for so little money at the Congress Theatre this year.
Nick Player as Buddy Holly Johnny Curtiss as Roy Orbison Darren Green as Jerry Lee Lewis John-Simon Rawlings as The Big Bopper Peter Jackson - Eddie Cochran
This review must kick off with some clarification. This should at least help a little with ensuring the artists in this production recover some of the fans back who used to follow them around the UK.
The bulk of these tribute artists used to be in a very successful tribute show Rockin' on Heaven's Door.
Prior to May 2010 countrywide reviews of that production were excellent. After May 2010 the feedback began to turn from being very positive into negative territory. Those reviews have remained mixed ever since.
Why? Because the cast split. Most went into this production Rock 'n' Roll Paradise (RARP) but a former member carried on with a touring production retaining the Rockin' On Heaven's Door (ROHD) name.
Fans just assumed that Rockin' On Heaven's Door had the same cast and have gone along to their shows only to be very disappointed. How do I know? Because most of them were at this show having finally found out where their favourite tribute artists had gone. It was very much the main topic of conversation in the interval.
It is taking time for audience levels to get back to the size that these singers are used to. A few hundred saw this show but for those that missed this great show you can have a second bite of the cherry on 15th July at exactly the same venue.
I believe that show has sold many more tickets already. It seems that as word gets around that the previous favourites in ROHD are now in RARP the fans are returning.
For those of you who like another tribute production that has toured for years on end, That'll Be The Day, I can assure you that Rock 'n' Roll Paradise will leave you just as impressed.
From the moment Darren Green starts the evening with Jerry Lee Lewis's hits you know this is going to be no slouch of a production. Impressive vocally and a demon on the piano, which even gets played with his feet, he is a true indication of the quality of his fellow performers to come.
In fact Darren is the performer who gets the most exposure as he remains on stage to play for the other artists.
I'll throw in here that a large screen of the on-stage action is particularly well used in RARP. It's not simply a projection of what the front rows can see but views from many different and unusual angles, including along the piano keys! A very clever use of technology with fades and dual displays that add interest to an already lively gig.
So from Jerry and his Great Balls Of Fire we move on to the likes of The Big Bopper. John-Simon Rawlings covers all the tracks the Bopper was known for including Chantilly Lace and Johnny Preston's Running Bear. He also acts as show compere a role that works rather well.
Nick Player is Buddy Holly at his energetic best. I would think that any avid Holly fan would be impressed with him, but not simply for the vocals. In the act you can appreciate the attention to detail he has paid to every little movement and leap Holly used to make on stage. If Nick fancied another tribute act I don't think it would take much effort on his part to take on the late Freddie Garrity (Freddie and The Dreamers). For me he'd be great in the role of the great singer and his comical routines.
We calm things down a little as Johnny Curtiss is an understandably much more calm and serious act as the legendary 'Man In Black' Roy Orbison. The classics Crying and Pretty Woman are of course performed by Johnny. I have to wonder if he is slowly turning into Roy Orbison as he was the only performer still in his act's costume after show - yes sunglasses as well!
We also have Peter Jackson as Eddie Cochran. Forgetting his superb sound if there is to be a best lookalike it's a close call between Peter and Nick Player. Peter's performing on top of the piano at the end of the first half if a fabulous way to enter an interval, leaving the audience on a high.
Last but certainly not least is Richard Atkins as the King himself. Yes Elvis is most certainly in the building for numerous solo numbers before we move on to the all cast finale. I know Richard already has a huge number of fans who loyally follow his career and his 'romantic', scarf handing out sessions have become his trademark and those Elvis loving ladies just love it.
I'm always wary about tribute acts as they vary so wildly in quality but I can see why the fans who preciously followed the members of this cast in Rockin' on Heaven's Door have scoured the country trying to find them.
The artists are accompanied by the fabulous Paradise band comprising
Spencer Lingwood (drums)
Chris Kane (keyboards/sax)
John O'Malley (lead guitar)
Dave Robson (lead guitar)
Mark Fisher (double bass/bass guitar)
As tributes go this must be one of the very best in the UK and it gets my maximum rating for entertainment value.
If we were able to we would attend again for the July 15th performance. If you like great, lively, fun tributes this show is for you.
I haven't completely lost the plot in seeing the same production twice within a few days. We decided to book the Tunbridge Wells show as a birthday celebration for my wife and despite a gap of only 72 hours we couldn't have picked a better repeat. You can't beat decent live music.
Both the Solid Silver and Sixties Gold productions have never failed to be fabulous shows and this one is no exception.
A few of the well known acts in this show are regulars on the 'Silver' and 'Gold' tours so I won't dwell on Vanity Fare, Wayne Fontana and Dave Berry. Although you can refer back to my previous Solid Silver review for greater details if required. So here's just a brief summary of those great acts.
They may back most of the other performers but Vanity Fare are such a good band I'd gladly watch them perform a solo show given the opportunity.
Dave Berry may be the oldest performer on the current tour but he certainly looks the fittest and I have to say he got a rousing reception, especially at Tunbridge Wells where the audience got to their feet in appreciation.
Wayne Fontana may have a reputation as a bit of a naughty boy but I am convinced he gets more and more impressive every time we see him. Both audiences certainly seem to love a 'bad lad' and in both foyers he was certainly the act most people wanted an autograph from first.
I don't blame them either as he really comes across as a genuine friendly guy who always makes you laugh and smile (unless you are in law enforcement in which case your view may be slightly different).
Chris Farlowe was a new experience for me. However I did enjoy his hits especially Handbags and Gladrags and Out Of Time. I will admit I had never heard of Chris Farlowe and The Thunderbirds as his band was known in the 60's but at the time they were legendary with their R&B sound.
I think Chris went down well with both audiences too. Although I think his humour went down better at Eastbourne than Tunbridge Wells. His story about his nightmare requesting half a dozen chicken nuggets at McDonalds in Eastbourne got laughs aloud. However expressing that it was hotter on the Assembly Hall Stage than a "Japanese power station" resulted in what I can only describe as embarrassed groans rather than laughter. Adding a quip about 'Parkinson's disease' didn't help either. I did notice that as Wayne and Chris signed in the interval Wayne appeared to have far more demand from fans.
Former vocalist with The Hollies, Terry Sylvester ,was very popular in both venues especially as just about every Hollies track is a number you can sing along to. "Just one look" and the classic "He ain't heavy (he's my brother)" to name just a couple.
With vocals I could listen to any day Terry is a great addition to the Solid Silver tour and I hope he appears again in future productions.
That just leaves The Merseybeats with Tony Crane and Billy Kinsley still appearing together since they were first known as The Mavericks back in the early 60's. Accompanied by Bob Packham (bass guitar/vocals), Lou Rosenthal (drums) and Toni Baker (keys/vocals) 50 years on they remain one of Liverpool's greatest musical exports.
Back in the era of The Mavericks the hits of the Everly Brothers were the order of the day. It is therefore only appropriate that in this Solid Silver show those same hits are revisited together with the Merseybeats own hits such as "Sorrow" and Wishin' and Hopin'".
The Merseybeats are the ideal hand-clapping, arm swaying final act for this excellent touring 60's show and like all the other acts they joined in by staying behind to sign autographs for all who wanted them.
Best performance? Well you'd think it would naturally be a draw but it wasn't quite that simple because Tunbridge Wells got rewarded with a brilliant all-act-finale which Eastbourne missed out on as at least one act had to leave for home early. So Tunbridge Wells wins on this front as it was a fitting ending to a fantastic show.
Best venue? That one I'll give to Eastbourne because the larger foyer makes life far simpler when you have a number of acts made up of multiple members signing at the same time.
Best audience? For some strange reason the Tunbridge Wells audience were far more vocal and enthusiastic and more keen to get to their feet earlier. Although I don't really know why this should be as age wise both audiences were similar.
However whether you get an all act finale or not in the show you see it doesn't matter. This is still, as is always the case, a tremendous night out revisiting all those original 60's artists you love and their hits of the time.
I am surprised this show did not sell out in Eastbourne, or at least get very close to it. With Lena Martell and Billie Jo Spears in the same production I would have thought this would have appealed to any country music lover?
There must have been around 1000, perhaps a few more, in the audience. In these hard times that is still a respectable size crowd but it is still far from the near 1800 capacity of the Congress Theatre.
There are 4 queens of country music in this show which kicked off with the delightful Scot Janey Kirk impressively covering many famous country music favourites. From what I have read I know Janey has a huge fan base who are looking forward to seeing her on this tour.
Janey then handed over to the legendary Lena Martell. Lena was not just great vocally she was also extremely humorous. Having forgotten her glasses she couldn't read her own playlist so had to keep asking the band what came next.
In addition to, of course, singing her own hits like "One day at a time" she too covered the tracks of other artists.
Just 3 years ago (2008) Lena had a heart valve replacement operation but is apparently now in excellent health for the tour. I have to say apparently because as she and Janey were kindly signing autographs in the interval she was sweating excessively and looked absolutely exhausted.
I understand that as far as gigs go this is a relatively short tour running until the end of May. I hope that Lena doesn't do more than her GP would recommend because 3 years isn't all that long since such a major operation.
After the interval Ireland's country star Philomena Begley takes to the stage. Bursting with Irish charm and wit and best friend of Billie Jo Spears she is a true asset to this production.
Last, but certainly not least, 74 year old USA country music star Billie Jo Spears emerged to perform her quarter of the show.
What a fantastic performance it was too. As many of the audience members commented if at her age she can still dance and sing so clearly live then it puts to shame those young artists of today who have to lip sync, even on TV.
I thought she performed every hit, including her biggest Blanket On The Ground, as well as she ever did in her younger days.
But what I hadn't expected was her wonderful sense of humour and strength of character. I have often commented on the excessive strength of the spotlights in the Congress Theatre. Regularly they are so bright , rather than highlight the artist, they cause complete artist "white out" obliterating facial features. I've always said they must be bright for the performer.
Good to see Billie Jo wasn't going to take being blinded for granted as she constantly had to order the lighting crew to dim the lights slightly. At one time she threatened, forming her hand in the shape of a gun, "If you don't turn them down, I'll shoot you down!". A determination which received strong appreciate applause and laughter from her audience.
It was actually surpising to see how much better you can appreciate the artist with a slighly less bright light. Billie Jo then looked far more natural and relaxed as she performed a load more country favourites ending with all 4 artists appearing to sing the finale together.
For me, this wasn't just a show I found thoroughly entertaining. I found it somewhat humbling and emotional too. Watching one country music legend determined to perform when she has relatively recently inherited the aortic valve of a pig (and no I'm not joking) and another who is capable of still captivating an appreciative audience in her mid 70's was something very special.
After the show as all 4 artists signed autographs in the foyer of the Congress Theatre several people commented that many of the tracks and respect for the artists had made them quite emotional. From my own experience on the night I can relate to this feeling completely. A very special show from 4 very special and friendly country music stars.
Finally the ladies kindly each signed a charity playing card to raise funds for Great Ormond Street Hospital for children. As they are all queens of country music each has signed a queen. At some point in the future there will be a very special item up for auction in support of GOSH. The 4 signed cards will be framed along with the snapshot taken on the night. Out of all the millions of country music fans worldwide there can only be one owner. Clicking on my image will give you more details if this very unique auction lot is of interest.
"It's excellent isn't it? It's as good as any West End production".
Not my words but those uttered by some visitors to Eastbourne, seated behind me, during the interval.
Once again The Rattonians did not disappoint delivering a lavish musical. The quality of these shows is such that you occasionally have to remind yourself that theirs are amateur productions.
The cast and huge company were superb, as always. Alex Adams was always going to be an amazing Beast and I expect that being cast as Belle was one of Chloe Shearer's most important roles yet for The Rattonians.
She was a great casting and vocally very impressive.
With over 100 in The Rattonians Company there were many, many more in this show than those named above each playing a thoroughly entertaining part.
There was some very clever use of scaffolding to create a temporary extension to the Congress Theatre Stage (giving the band partial cover). This worked really well. Often when The Rattonians have a large number on stage even the Congress's already large stage can appear crowded. This was certainly not the case tonight and even in the busiest of scenes, especially in the finale and whilst taking the final bows, there was never any shortage of space. The extension also meant that there were never any issues with lyrics not being heard as all voices carried well over the band and into the auditorium.
The very youngest members of The Company provided plenty of 'aaah' moments particularly at the end when these young performers had the chance to shine with some comical stuff too.
I've got accustomed to expecting greatness from the acting in The Rattonians and it was faultless as usual. So I turned my attention a little more to the set. Having seen the professional touring production of Beauty and The Beast at the same theatre 2 years previously I can honestly say this set was no less than impressive than the one used in that show.
For me, it was all spot on. From The Beast's mansion to Chip's (the young boy in a cup) body-less box illusion everything had been recreated in exacting detail.
With The Rattonians traditional attention to detail with perfect costumes and impressive, entertaining, choreography I am once again unable to pick any holes in this show whatsoever. It therefore gets the same maximum mark that the touring professional production received in 2009.
OK I'll be honest I'm not a huge fan of the Bay City Rollers and I went along more because my wife has been a fan for as long as she can remember.
But sometimes you can go to a production not expecting too much and come away pleasantly surprised.
This was certainly one of those occasions.
Somewhat predictably the women to men ratio was heavily biased to advantage of the females of our species. I wouldn't be surprised if , like me, the majority of the other men there were also out more for the enjoyment of their partner.
This isn't a huge budget gig by the former Bay City Roller by any means. No large articulated truck wheeling tons of acoustic equipment round the country. No a transit van will do the job and, for me, that was perfectly adequate as so many gigs have sound equipment that is just too powerful for the size of venue.
There aren't many people who can send an audience into hysteria from the first note but despite the fact we have only one genuine 'Roller' in this line up, Les McKeown, his female fans were on their feet from the off.
And that's the way it continued throughout the show. Many of the audience on their feet dancing, either where they were seated or at the front of the stage.
The 'Tartan Army' of Eastbourne did Les McKeown proud with many turning up in tartan adorned outfits and topping this up with more tartan merchandising at the show. Les even handed out many small tartan scarves during the gig.
Rollermania is a slightly different sort of gig. It's not all music by any means. No, with the assistance of a laptop autocue Les leads us through the full, and I have to admit interesting, full history of The Bay City Rollers. And I mean FULL history, not just the time he spent in the group from 1973 but the times he was not part of the line up too. It certainly is not a Les McKeown biography but a genuine Roller history.
The Rollers classic hits interspersed with these interesting snippets of musical history make for a great show.
But there was one thing about the presentation of this history that I particularly liked. Unlike many bands that have split over time this was not a verbal trashing of his former band members. Quite the opposite in fact, and whilst I am sure it must be tempting to 'bitch', he is actually quite complimentary. We learn what all the Rollers have gone on to do ante-Rollers and how he ended up in the group in the first place. If Les McKeown has a loathing for any former colleague it certainly does not come across in this script and I think that was the right way to go. There's no doubt about it the Rollers music is light-hearted and having a script that is all doom and gloom would have retracted from this.
Some may describe the Rollers music as cheesy and you could say there are definitely some exceptionally cheesy moments in this show as love struck devoted fans come up to the stage. Some have Les sing to them others seeking a kiss or cuddle. In fact I can not recollect any show, with any artist, quite managing to come up to such a high cheese rating. Alexander O'Neal had cheesy moments but he is barely a Dairylea cheese triangle compared to Les who is a humongous block of strong cheddar in comparison.
If there is any downside to the show it isn't the longest gig ever with around 100 minutes of performance time. But you can't really complain as the whole of the show is entertaining and Les went front-of-house after the show to sign memorabilia for anybody who wanted to stay. From what I could see, judging from the length of the queue, this was most of the audience! You can't knock an artist who finishes a great show at 9.40pm and who is still signing at 10.45 and the power of the Bay City Rollers is such that his female fans adore him.
Am I now a converted BCR fan? No I wouldn't say that but I have to admit I thoroughly enjoyed the show. This was much to my wife's amusement as I kept 'singing' Shang-a-lang for at least the next 24 hours!
Joseph - Keith Jack
Narrator - Jennifer Potts
Jacob/Potiphar - Henry Metcalfe
Pharaoh - Adam Jarrell
Benjamin - Kevin Grogan
Mrs Potiphar - Camilla Rowland
Butler - Fabian Hartwell
Baker - Richard J Hunt
Reuben - Will Tyler
Gad - Michael Ward
Judah - Richard J Hunt
Asher - David Gwyn
Zebulun - Nathan Vaughan-Harris
Simeon - Fabian Hartwell
Issacher - James Jacob-Lomas
Dan - Scott Matson
Napthali - Stiofan O'Doherty
Levi - Adam Jarrell
Handmaidens - Collette Coleman, Anouska Eaton, Camilla Rowland
Swing - Craig Creelman
Joseph was last in Eastbourne just 2 years ago. It is normally a popular musical in the town, however this audience was unusually small at around 500.
Whether the relatively low head count was down to the economy, a fear that the show would be the same as last time or some other factor I don't know. What I do know is that I thought this was a much better show than the 2009 offering.
Keith Jack, who was runner up in the BBC's Any Dream Will Do, made an excellent Joseph and I thought that vocally he was more impressive than Craig Chalmers who undertook the earlier tour.
In my view it is the narrator who has the major role in Joseph and Jennifer Potts was outstanding. With beautiful clear vocals and 2 very proud grandparents watching in the audience she was a real star in this show.
A good advert for Eastbourne tourism too that her grandparents had chosen to see her in Eastbourne rather than at several venues more local to their home (Nottingham I think) because it is a nicer place to stay in.
Adam Jarrell made a good Pharaoh. Not the most spot-on Elvis impersonator I've seen in Joseph but perfectly adequate and entertaining.
And where would Joseph tours be without dear Henry Metcalfe? Henry's CV goes back many, many years and covers a wide range of TV and theatrical shows in which he has continually demonstrated not only his acting skills but also his expertise in choreography and directing.
These days Henry is almost permanently 'married' to Joseph and he is like part of the furniture. The roles of Jacob and Potiphar are perfect for the oldest cast member and of course he is responsible for the great choreography as always.
The rest of the cast were excellent with all Jacob's sons putting on a great show. Collette Coleman deserves a mention not only for her great voice but also for doing some stunning choreography including some really impressive moving splits!
I've now seen several of these Joseph tours and it's a mistake not to go because 'you have seen it before' because it is always different in so many aspects.
In this case in addition to the cast change there was new choreography, a new bright colourful set and I thought the lighting was extremely good. I had issues with the sound quality back in 2009 but the band sounded great tonight.
The Congress Theatre's programme priced at £2 was good value, interesting and informative.
Highly recommended and look forward to seeing Joseph's return in a couple of years to see what has changed once again.
Incidentally not all musicals reult in us going home and downloading the lead artist's albums off iTunes but in Keith Jack's case this has happened. A terrific voice and 2 great albums both of which have very good reviews.
King Arthur - Phil Jupitus
Patsy - Todd Carty
The Lady Of The Lake - Jessica Martin
also
Robin Armstrong
Samuel Holmes
David Langham
Simon Lipkin
Graham MacDuff
Eric Idle (video)
Philip Catchpole
Rachel Knowles
Kit Orton
Amy Papa
Tim Bonser
Paul Bullion
Persephone Fitzpatrick
Well I think most people must be aware that this is the musical version of Monty Python and The Holy Grail? Monty Python was a controversial TV series you either loved or loathed. It was screened by the BBC from 1969 to 1974 and has resulted in spin offs such as the 'Holy Grail' and 'Life of Brian' movies, books and even this tour!
Only 500 or so people in the Eastbourne audience for this performance. But I don't think that has much to do with the shows quality but more with Eastbourne's demographics. Put it this way I can't see many of Eastbourne's more devout elderly churchgoers going along to pay homage to Eric Idle!
However if, like me, you're an atheist or despite being religious you are equipped with a good sense of humour then this is a great show just to have a bloody good laugh. I even suspect that many in the audience were a bit like my wife - going along to keep the other half happy and swearing they wouldn't like it.
I think it's always a good thing if a show can get an "I enjoyed that" comment from somebody who swears they are going to hate every minute! This production managed it though.
'Holy Grail' is certainly not the most controversial God-mocking tale that could be told on stage. 'Life of Brian' is far more likely to cause offence. Personally I'd love to see this happen. Thanks to being the victim of a car-keying pastor together with his strange beliefs including that council flower beds are God's provision for people who can't afford florists (he was the final cause of my non-belief) I'm always up for a bit of religious humour.
In this production we have King Arthur in his hilarious search from the 'Holy Grail'. The Spamalot tour has four well known personalities covering the role and Eastbourne was rewarded with comedian Phil Jupitus.
I have to be honest I don't watch a lot of telly and I wasn't too familiar with Jupitus but I thought he was excellent as the monarch as he trekked from country to country in search of his quest.
Most of his time on stage he is accompanied by former Eastenders and Dancing On Ice star Todd Carty. Carty couldn't be any better in playing the ruler's assistant Patsy. With quite possibly the funniest role in the whole show everything about Patsy raises a laugh. The script, the facial expressions and of course those unforgettable coconuts! Whilst he may be touring with 4 different Arthurs and 3 ladies of the lake Todd is more than happy to be undertaking the whole tour. He has been quoted as saying this is his favourite role since he played 'Tucker Jenkins' in Grange Hill.
Todd also gets the privilege of singing the key track "Always look on the bright side of life" and a key Patsy moment has to be his hysterical performance during the company's delivery of "I'm all alone".
The multi talented Jessica Martin plays King Arthur's love interest, The Lady Of The Lake. This actress, comedienne and former Spitting image impressionist is great and 'The song that goes like this' and its reprise has to be one of her highlights.
Those may be the 'stars' but let's not forget the others who all contribute to make this a great show. Samuel Holmes, David Langham, Simon Lipkin and Graham MacDuff are all perfectly suited to their respective roles and very, very funny.
The set is simple, yet colourful and functional as the castle gateway represents the entrance to many different locations in the story.
The orchestra is located behind the set (sometimes visible, sometimes not). This always helps with all lyrics being able to be heard clearly in the auditorium.
I wouldn't go as far as to say that Spamalot is the greatest musical of all time but it is a really good excuse to forget any troubles you may have and to go and have a really good laugh which is what we had in Eastbourne.
With a cast as good as this one was I'd gladly enjoy this tale again including those wonderful Knights who say 'Ni!' and their desire for a 'shwubbery' together with all the other historical nonsense.
Incidentally all 3 of the main stars kindly did a Great Ormond Street Hospital charity signing for me - for further details click any picture above and view the details on the appropriate image in my GOSH gallery. You may wish to bid on some quite unique items to support this worthy cause.
Once again the team behind The Russian Ice Stars have transformed the Congress Theatre, Eastbourne into a magnificent, temporary, ice rink for their latest production, Peter Pan.
I always enjoy these shows. The costumes are lavish and colourful, the skaters are all highly skilled professionals and there is something to impress an audience member of every age group.
Impressive jumps at speed, juggling with fire, superb lifts and wonderful choreography it's all in there with so much more.
The large cast are pretty much consistent from year to year and for those of us who go every year these silent stars become very familiar faces.
Peter Pan is tackled from a different, but clever, approach. The story is seen through the eyes of the story's author, J M Barrie, who is played by the hugely talented Valdis Mintals. I thought this made a nice change from simply looking at the story being played out as it conveys, by expression and actions alone, the thoughts of Mr Barrie as his tale progresses from one chapter to the next.
Tall Valdis, who started skating at age 4, is always impressive especially with his speed and complicated jumps. However my wife who would go to see him even if he had the skating talent of Todd Carty! I really wanted to tell her she is old enough to be his mother, but she isn't (quite).
Valdis's partner between 1998-2002 in the World Championships, European Championships and many other top international competitions was Viktoriya Shklover who plays the marvellous, petite and very sweet Wendy in this production.
Pan is portrayed by Dmitri Naumkin who's accolades include winning the World Junior Championship in 1995.
My personal favourite is Ekaterina Murugova because I think she is such a brilliantly expressive performer, every expression clearly conveying thoughts and emotions. In Peter Pan she dons the wings to play Tinkerbell.
The villain, Hook, is the responsibility of Andrey Chuvilyaev. The former member of the Russian Senior team really deserved to have some kids in the audience to boo him, panto style, as he and his shipmates took great pleasure on tying young Wendy up with nice thick rope.
I love the subtle humour that is built into these productions such as Mr Darling (Denis Sorokin) who when he can't find his 3 kids even looks under a pillow (the boys are about 6' tall wearing awful brightly coloured traditional striped pajamas) the poor man clearly needs help! Or watching little Tiger Lilly (Olga Balandina) pathetically trying to gnaw her way through 1" thick rope.
I find these shows refreshing. The one show I watch each year where you interpret a show without language. Yes in Peter Pan there is a little narration to "hand hold" those who really cannot follow a story through expression and interpretation but it is quite minimal. I think this is mainly for the benefit of any kids in attendance.
Incidentally at £4 the programme for Peter Pan is extremely good value. Wildrose Productions always produce a high quality publication that contains good photographs, cast biographies and a full explanation of what occurs in each scene. With so many programmes now priced at between £5 and £10 containing far less this is a souvenir worth buying.
So was everything perfect in Neverland? Did Tinkerbell work her magic on the feet of our all professional skaters? Well their feet seemed to be fine but she seemed to have put a curse on one particular section of the icy stage.
The very front, right section of the Congress Theatre stage must have had a problem. When one skater, perhaps two, take a fall in the same place you can put it down to bad luck and coincidence. But when the figure hits at least 5 falls and 2 very close escapes you have to wonder if there's a problem with the ice?
It must be difficult. Every stage is different in levelness and "bounce" and no matter how these temporary rinks are laid I don't think you are ever going to recreate the perfection of a purpose built rink. Even sitting where we were you can see undulations in the surface and this must have an effect.
I did notice as the show progressed jumps were being landed more centre stage rather than at the front perhaps to avoid this dodgy area?
I know the Dancing On Ice judge, Jason Gardiner, would not agree but what is important is not the falls in these shows but how professionally the recovery is. In every case if you had blinked and missed the fall you would never have known it happened. Up in an instant, smiling and on with the show as true pros do.
Probably thinking "s**t that bloody hurt!" or whatever the Russian equivalent is but never conveying that to a sympathetic audience. And sympathetic I was, particularly to the first lad who came a cropper. He was wearing little more than a loincloth as his chest thumped down on to the ice. Ouch! Waxing is probably less painful!
It does highlight ,seeing these falls, that no matter how impressive these productions are they are never a walk in the park, even for seasoned professionals.
Two shows in a day plus an additional 3 hours rehearsal time can never assure you a flawless performance. One small imperfection in the ice is all it needs to raise the audible gasps from the audience.
I'm of the opinion that when you go to see an ice show you are rarely going to get a flawless skate and it's how the show entertains overall which should be judged.
In a play if the script is forgotten or ad libbed we laugh. It doesn't stop it being a great play. When skaters fall down OK we don't laugh but it should be judged like an 'outtake' in a play.
At the end of the day we enjoyed yet another great show by the fabulous Russian Ice Stars and should they return in 2012 we'll be back again!
Spare a thought for the crew after the last show in Eastbourne on 13th March when they will be taking 7 hours breaking up all that ice and removing it from the stage only to have to do it all again at the next venue. A lot of hard work goes on behind the scenes and sometimes as the audience member I don't think we always appreciate that.
Many thanks to the show's production manager, Sam Clarkson and production co-ordinator, Julian Deplidge for allowing me to get some unique views of an icy Congress Theatre stage.
Finally If you get the chance to see The Russian Ice Stars on tour please do so. Like us, with Peter Pan you may just become "Hooked"!
Apologies for not typing the cast list as usual but it is rather long, I did want to credit everybody and I'm trying to avoid RSI !
What a way to start a theatre season in Eastbourne!
I really don't know where to start on Hairspray as it is such a feel good show throughout.
So lets start with pricing. Yes the top prices tickets are in excess of £40, not far off West End prices. But this show is worth every penny. Besides, the cast list above shows just how many people are involved in this production alone. If you want a show that gives good value for your money this is it!
I do know that, despite the current hard times and the price of these tickets, bookings at the Congress Theatre are incredibly high for the rest of this run so if you want a good view for goodness sake book now. Do not wait until the final week!
Big hair, big company, big fun. That just about sums up Hairspray. It's the story of Tracy Turnblad. A down to earth white girl with big hair who has even bigger dreams. Her dream is to dance on The Corny Collins Show, a local TV dance program. But this outgoing big hearted girl ends up doing so much more as she encounters mocking of her weight and the horrors of race discrimination existing within the industry.
So it's similar to many other light hearted musicals which have serious undertones and, yes, the somewhat predictable love story is in there too. Tracy's heart aches for the love of a dance idol, Link, who's initially smitten by the pretty, but racially ignorant, Amber.
But despite the fact that the subject is a serious one you never stop smiling from beginning to end.
The cast?
Honestly I could be here forever, I could write reams of praise on all of them. It seems unfair to omit anybody but I guess as is the tradition with reviews I'd better highlight a few.
Michael Starke, as Tracy's mother Edna is absolutely bloody brilliant. Yes the guy who spent 15 years in Brookside playing Sinbad dons the wigs, lipstick and big flouncy frocks. This 53 year old keeps up with every dance move thrown at him by Associate Choreographer Danny Austin as well as any of the far younger members of the company.
Pairing him with Ex Monkee Micky Dolenz as Wilbur Turnblad, Tracy's father, was a stroke of genius. The comedy combination, and indeed even the singing ability, of these two works so very well. This has to be highlighted in Act 2 at the Har-De-Har-Hut as the duet sing Timeless To Me so beautifully and at the same time so hysterically.
It would be a crime not to mention Emma Dukes whose take on ditzy Penny Pingleton is just sublime. She is so funny that at times you could almost forget that underneath the wig and make-up is a sensible actress.
Sandra Marvin (Motormouth Maybelle) - bloody hell what a stunning voice! Her delivery of I know where I've been got the loud rousing reception it truly deserved.
Then there's the very convincing 'teen heartthrob' Link (Liam Doyle), the wonderful mother and daughter Velma and Amber Von Tussle (Gillian Kirkpatrick and Clare Halse) and the excellent Wayne Robinson as Seaweed.
We have the stunning and vocally perfect Shakira Akabussi as Pearl (Kriss Akabusi's talented daugther), with Natalie Kelly (Cindy) and Abiona Omonua (Peaches) making up the rest of the amazing "3 Degrees like" Dynamite trio.
Whilst I can't mention everybody I can't omit the most important person of all Tracy Turnblad or rather young Laurie Scarth who is beneath the big hair. She is the character around whom the whole story revolves. It needs to be played by somebody who can give a consistently fabulous vocal performance, maintain the required accent throughout and deliver every line of script with equal importance and conviction to a massive Eastbourne audience who are always extremely picky when they decide whether a standing ovation is warranted.
That's why Laurie passed the audition for the lead role in Hairspray!
A massive well done to her and it was fitting that the character of Tracy Turnblad is the last to leave the stage after a standing ovation from all 3 levels of the Congress Theatre. I had to turn round to check because it is honestly so rare to see those in the circle and the grand cirle joining those in the stalls in showing appreciation for what was a really impressive production. If you can get the people at the very back of an auditorium to stand you know you've done a brilliant job!
This is a musical that inspired me to go home and buy the original Broadway soundtrack but I have to say although it is great Michael Starke and Micky Dolenz sound far better than the original Broadway stars (Harvey Fierstein and Dick Latessa I believe) and the rest of the cast are just as impressive as the originals.
I think my wife summed it up pretty well as we drove home "It's a shame your stars only go up to 5 because that deserved more!"
This application of Hairspray only holds until 26th Feb. If you want to grab a ticket whilst a few remain book here (don't worry I'm not on commission! - sadly) http://bit.ly/bighair-eb
Maximum stars it is then for maximum entertainment!
Probably one of the UKs most versatile entertainers Brian Conley's shows are always popular with the Eastbourne theatre goers.
In fact it was only 18 months ago that he was here last. I didn't get to see that show but I do know it was a large audience. Tonight's show was no exception. No it wasn't a full house but compared to many shows it was a very large attendance.
Brian has not really been seen on TV for a couple of years. Instead most of his time has been spent in theatres both in this, his own production, and at London's Shaftesbury Theatre as Edna Turnblad in Hairspray.
The Brian Conley show is basically "The Best Of Brian Conley". It's a look back at the whole of his career with everything from "It's a puppet" Larry The Loafer and his madcap Dangerous Brian character to his Laurence Olivier award nominated Al Jolson portrayal and his brilliant stand up comedy.
To be fair this particular production has had very mixed reviews. It seems to be that most of the adverse comments are because reviewers may appreciate his music and comedy but not the slapstick stuff.
Now as those mixed reviews still seem to keep coming and yet Brian can still attract a good size audience it appears the theatre goer's opinion differs from that of the critic.
Me? Well I thoroughly enjoyed it but then I am a theatre goer who just happens to write up his thoughts on shows.
I'm not going expecting every single show to have West End production standards I'm more concerned as to whether when the curtain falls I've actually enjoyed the thing.
Each to their own I say. Just because I like black pudding I don't expect all readers to agree with me and go to the butchers.
Brian has approached this show as more of a traditional variety show. Yes he is the star but younger talent (sorry Brian) is given the chance to shine too.
So alongside the star of the show we have ventriloquist Gareth Oliver who was a losing semi-finalist on Britain's Got Talent in 2009.
Now I feel a bit sorry for Gareth because in many reviews he is quoted time and time again as being "some unknown ventriloquist". Well no there was no programme to explain who he was but he was introduced clearly and even if you didn't listen on the evening it takes a few seconds to find his website and many others with details of his career.
However, many of the audience clearly remembered his BGT appearance and shouted their appreciation. In fact an elderly lady next to us (Jean I believe) hadn't gone to see Brian only Gareth. Even at the stage door once she had seen Gareth, she left, not waiting to see Brian.
Now this year I've had several months of Steve Hewlett brainwashing and as a result no I don't think he is quite up to Mr Hewletts standard of ventriloquism . I'd say an 8/10 rather than a 10/10 for Steve. But and it's a big BUT Gareth has a super ability to warm the audience to him. No his puppets aren't up to Steve Hewletts amazing quality but its not down to your equipment its what you do with it. This still results in an entertaining performance and he's a great addition to this production. I thought the green monster with the pink nose routine was rather sweet.... but perhaps I just need more sleep?
Also he is one of the most amicable artists I have ever seen at the stage door. Yes Jean had braved the cold and pouring rain to go and find him and he didn't let her down. He even broke into a mini routine talking to one of his dummies inside his bag. He seemed to stay an eternity chatting to everybody in the pouring rain.... still joking as he drove off.
Perhaps I should rate stage door experiences? Boy there would be a few revelations there. Perhaps not then. But Gareth if I did you just scored a resounding 10. There's many a well established artist who could learn that being nice to those who have had the decency to wait to say hello in the cold doesn't take more than a few minutes of cheerfulness.
Stephen Carlile is Brian's second accompanying act. A West End star who played the Phantom in Phantom Of The Opera he gets the chance to demonstrate his impressive vocal ability with several numbers.
But Mr Carlile shows there is more to him than a magnificent singer. He acts as interviewer in a one to one interview with Brian looking back at his career. Now I don't know if Brian changes the script every time he does this but Stephen has that constant look on his face that says "What the hell is he going to do next?". I thought this part was hilarious.Stephen even threw an impression of Frank Spencer into the mix. Conley's madness seemed to be rubbing off on him.
Then there's Brian Conley himself. Superb singer, an extremely funny comedian and a master of Joe Pasquale like madness.
With Brian Conley's career having been so varied I think even his most loyal followers may not be so keen on part of this show. Being honest for me it was his character Dangerous Brian, I was never keen on it when it was on TV and tonight was no exception.
However bizarrely I always liked his "It's a puppet!" Larry The Loafer bashing and there is a great scene for fellow loafer lovers.
As a comedian Brian's somewhat risque humour was certainly enjoyed by myself and it appears the rest of the audience.
If anybody wasn't impressed as he belted out Mammy and other musical hits then I really don't know why they went in the first place.
The large screen which displays clips from Brian's career could easily have dominated the show (ever seen a Britain's Got Talent tour show which does just that?) but it does not. More than anything it is used as a link between scenes.
Brian when asked why he is not on TV gives the honest answer. He doesn't want to dance, do dancing on ice, go in the Big Brother house, eat bugs in the jungle or do any of the other reality TV series that dominates the TV schedules.
A variety show like this is what we used to be able to see on TV and tonight I left feeling very entertained.
One other thing this show including the 20 minute interval is 2 hours 40 minutes in length and even the interval has entertainment. Yes those who don't leave the auditorium are rewarded with an audio of all those old TV adverts from your youth together with ancient music tracks such as Rolf Harris's Two Little Boys and Benny Hill's Ernie. As you sit there singing along it brings it home just how old you actually are.
So personally no I didn't enjoy the Dangerous Brian bit but it is a variety show and this scene is a small part of a very long show the rest of which I enjoyed.
Going against the grain of those who have had the odd whine about this show I'm giving it full marks.
Incidentally wondering about the strange picture with the playing cards below?
Well Brian joined many other lovely artists I have asked recently and supported Great Ormond Street Hospital by signing a specially printed charity playing card (in Brian's case the Joker of course).
I have to say a massive thank you to Brian because there was not time to prearrange this particular signing and he allowed us to get out of the pouring rain to ensure the end product remained dry.
So if you are a lifelong Brian Conley fan bookmark the above websites and keep watching as a very unique product will soon be available which will also be raising money for a most worthy cause.
