All The Fun Of The Fair

UK National Tour

Reviewed at Sunderland Empire Theatre

All The Fun Of The Fair, as the title suggests, is set against the backdrop of a travelling funfair that is struggling to survive in the late seventies. Starring David Essex as funfair owner Levi Lee and featuring almost all of his hits, it was always going to be something rather special.

Without giving too much of the plot away, the story opens with Rosa, the funfair’s resident gypsy clairvoyant reflecting upon a series of dramatic events that form the framework of the story.

Louise English, as Rosa, is no stranger to show-stopping musicals and has graced the stages of the West End often, receiving rave reviews for her many accomplished and polished performances. In All The Fun Of The Fair, she delivers the performance of a lifetime; phenomenal isn’t adequate enough a word to describe it. Her solo performance of ‘A Winter’s Tale’ is richly seductive, with diction that is as clear as a bell and the entire audience seem to fall under the spell of this mysterious gypsy fortune-teller. Miss English bestows Rosa with a hidden vulnerability beneath the feisty exterior that pays testament to her extraordinary talent as an actress and gives the character added depth of emotion.

David Essex inhabits the role of Levi Lee effortlessly and dominates every scene with a stage presence that is tangible. His performance as the fairground owner has an edge that exudes sexiness and danger and the women in the auditorium lapped it up.

Paul-Ryan Carberry, making his professional debut as Jack, grabs the role with both hands and gives a fine performance.

The fairground set is amazing and has an air of authenticity that is increased further by carousel horses, dodgem cars and motor bikes – you can almost smell the hot dogs and taste the candy floss!

There is always the danger that musicals based around the hits of an artist or group simply crowbar a story around the music and lack any real plot – not in this case. All The Fun Of The Fair seamlessly combines a thrillingly original storyline with some fantastic pop classics.

Steve Burbridge.

For more information and tour dates/venues visit www.allthefunofthefairmusical.com