UK Theatre Network

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain at Richmond Theatre.

© Writer: Tremayne

The Ukulele is one of my preferred instruments. In part, this is because of its association with Hawaii, a place I have always dreamt of visiting.  I would love to learn how to play it!   And so I immediately jumped at the opportunity of going to see The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain play at Richmond Theatre.

Just to give you some insight into the history of The Ukulele now.  It is based on two small guitar-like instruments of Portuguese origin, the cavaquinho and the rajão, introduced to the Hawaiian Islands by Portuguese immigrants from Madeira and Cape Verde.Ukuleles are commonly associated with music from Hawaii where the name roughly translates as "jumping flea", perhaps due to the action of one's fingers playing the ukulele resembling a "jumping flea". According to Queen Lili'uokalani, the last Hawaiian monarch, the name means “the gift that came here”, from the Hawaiian words uku (gift or reward) and lele (to come).

On the Orchestra’s personal website I got to read how they came to form.  I quote:

‘Some say it was at Bobby's Club in Hastings, some that they were all moonlighting BBC radio announcers. The truth is that when two or three ukulele players are gathered together the gravitational force means that other ukulele players start to come into the orbit. Very soon you are awash with pluckers.’

For this review I intend to concentrate mostly on Act II and summing up the performace as a whole. Act II opens with The Good, The Bad & The Ugly, with the Bass Ukulele player of the group whistling along impressively A great number, which was well thought out and choreographed.

In Cecil Sharp number George Hinchliffe, the leader of the pack, you could say, shines, and is in his element as he sings The Blues, so soulfully, incorporating into it the theme tune to  ‘Shaft’.  Certainly one to tap your feet along to!

Gnarl’s Barkley’s- Crazy is next as we move into a more pop based ukulele playing.  An  eclectic mix to reach every audience member, no matter their age. Lilting vocals allow for a slight twang to immerge, complimented exquisitely by each style of ukulele to come in during the chorus.

We are then introduced to the youngest, or should I say, newest member of the group, John Tee, who it turns out joined The Orchestra 26 years ago!

We focus next on one of the two female Ukulele players who is very encouraging to other female Ukulele players, or aspiring ones interspersed in the audience.  She then goes on to do her solo, a rendition of Avril Lavigne’s – Teenage Dirtbag.  She has a most distinctive voice, a combination of the two female singers from Fleetwood Mac and Jazz Singer, Sam Brown, who has guest starred with Jools Holland and his band.

In the song they coin The Limehouse Blues, the youngest member of the group can be seen sporting what must be the tiniest of Ukuleles.  How he manages to play it is a mystery to me!  One word comes to mind, and that word is ‘talent’.  The song that follows is by Grace Jones.

The play list of songs has a definite running order, even when the band make it appear  otherwise but as a more melancholic number reaches its end, a more cheery one kicks in to replace it.

So as to avoid periods of lull, short and sharp comedic skits are inserted between each song, enabling the pace to be kept at an all round high.  They appear to be well scripted and thought out, the gap also allows for the musicians to quickly familiarise themselves with the next piece they’re about to play.

As for the encore, the orchestra, who I look on as more of a band as they are so few in number, come back onto the stage uttering the words, ‘we can’t get out that way! This is not in the least in a moaning, cynical way but in a no qualm, not a care in the world kind of way.  Then what is referred to as a Yorkshire  folk song kicks in, which becomes Wuthering Heights by the multi-talented Kate Bush.  And what a great rendition it is!  The audience, some I can only assume are their followers, can hardly contain their excitement on realising where the song is going.  Even when you are not familiar with the types of songs they play, you feel really excited just at the thought of, ‘how will they put their own spin on this one?’  And if you were not an avid fan, or familiar, with the Ukulele before, you are sure to leave at the end of one of their performances with the biggest urge to not only see another of this Orchestra’s performances but also to learn how to play a Ukulele yourself.  At least for me, those were the very thoughts in the forefront of my mind!

Performers:
The performers in The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain are: Dave Suich, Peter Brooke Turner, Hester Goodman, George Hinchliffe, Richie Williams, Kitty Lux, Will Grove-White and Jonty Bankes.

For up and coming Concerts be sure to check out their website at: http://www.ukuleleorchestra.com