UK Theatre Network

CHRISTMAS CROONERS

WHITLEY BAY PLAYHOUSE

It may not be Christmas just yet but, with the temperatures dropping, winter is definitely upon us, so why not kick off the festive season a little early. With pantomime season nearly upon us, Theatre 1^st Ltd is bringing Christmas Crooners to various theatres around the UK and Ireland to provide a bit of seasonal cheer – and, judging by the large audience tonight, it’s something people really want this year.

As the lights went down the curtains opened to reveal a simple but practical set, consisting of a fire place, Christmas tree, rocking chair and a few other items.  Its design succeeded in bringing a homely feel and brought back memories of the video for Bing Crosby and David Bowie’s “Little Drummer Boy”. The live band “The Jazz All Stars” were also on stage and blended in well with the overall feel and visual.

The four piece band led by the show’s Musical Director (Martin Hughes) on piano, was excellent and played with a perfect laid back swing feel. The show itself pays homage to Christmas favourites from Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra, with a few other swing numbers thrown in for good measure.

To perform the music of such legendary vocalists is challenging enough, but to become those singers in look, manner and voice is a huge ask of any performer. The show, therefore, really requires three exceptional performers to achieve what it sets out to do.

Chris Vincent as Bing Crosby is very much the glue that holds the show together and he produced a great performance. Not only does he have a more than passing resemblance to Bing, but the attention to detail in his mannerisms, vocal tone and inflection were superb. A few times, when the lighting was subdued, you could actually be mistaken for thinking you were watching the original. Robert Grose , as Nat King Cole, brought a fantastic level of energy and charisma to the role but, while his songs were all well sung, he never quite got the gentle and subtle Nat King Cole tone.

As I previously mentioned the show requires three exceptional performances and unfortunately this was where the production fell slightly short. While Bing and to a large part Nat were brought to the Playhouse stage, unfortunately Frank didn’t make an appearance. Instead we got Jonny Parker whose suspect vocals and lack lustre characterisation (an American accent and a hat does not make you Sinatra), really pulled the show down. 

That being said, Director Stephen Leatherland, has created a solid show with a great relaxed, almost informal feel about it. The song selection was fantastic featuring all the classic Christmas songs (White Christmas, Jingle Bells, Let It Snow), add to that some cheesy gags and a bit of audience participation, and the audience headed out into the cold, humming a tune and feeling suitably festive.

Reviewed by Gareth Hunter 

Fresh from her West End success playing Ella Fitzgerald in Marilyn and Ella the superb Hope Augustus returns to The Rosemary Branch Theatre where she launched her career exactly twenty years ago.

The charming singer presents a programme of unforgettable songs by Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Leonard Bernstein, Noel Coward, and other greats. Tom Scott does not simply accompany Hope, he is a jazz piano virtuoso! I was especially impressed by Tom's improvisation of It's All Right With Me and Hope's interpretation of Skylark. There are many highlights in this show and Hope brings so much joy and pure energy to it that I had problems staying in my seat - I wanted to swing with Hope and Tom!
   
Go see the show if you love jazz. Only two days left!

The Rosemary Branch Theatre
Dec. 2-4, 8.00 pm
020 7704 6665

THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK     NEW END THEATRE

The Great American Songbook at the New End theatre, Hampstead, delivers a delightfully slick night of music that is hard to fault.

The show features songs from 1920 to 1960, written by the classic composers of the time such as Cole Porter, George Gershwin and Rogers and Hammerstein. It was period that saw an new style of music grounded in the structures of  Tin Pan Alley, and relying heavily on jazz.  Much of it was originally written for Broadway musicals or Hollywwod movies, and became the pop of the time as the songs were picked up by legendary singers such as Ella Fitzerald, Judy Garland and Frank Sinatra.

With a simple but highly effective set by Ioan Havard, this piece works perfectly in  intimate space of the New End. Andy Rumble’s orchestrations are beautiful and superbly played by a lively four piece jazz band. Heather Simpkin’s direction ensures the pace and energy of the show is relentless, and it happily bounces along with lovely performances by all three vocalists. Ray Caruana gives a heartfelt rendition of Skylark, and there is an stirring performance of  If I Loved You between Paul Roberts and Louisa Parry. Despite being dangerously close to being upstaged by several dress choice disasters, Ms Parry shines in this show, with impressive scatting in Blues Skies and a stunning interpretation of Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered.  

As someone vaguely knowledgeable with this period of music but never having ever seen it actually come to life with a jazz band, it was a very exciting live introduction to this period of song writing. I was the youngest member of the audience that night, but this show is a must for anyone of any age who simply appreciates great musical craftsmanship. This is a treat not to be missed.

OLIVER VALENTINE                        Box Office 0870 033 2733

 

 

 

 

It’s just another day in down-town Newcastle as under-employed architect Phil sits in his high-rise office, brooding over the post-industrial cityscape and waiting for the hands on the clock to strike “elevensies”.  But his caffeine cravings are interrupted when a sultry saxophone solo announces the arrival of a mysterious blonde.  Ella has sashayed into his life in search of a rare recording by one of the early jazz greats, Buddy Bolden.  There are just two flaws in her plan: she’s in the wrong office (the private dick’s downstairs); and Buddy Bolden never cut a record.

Phil’s intrigue is further piqued by hot information from his caffeine-dealer, Frank-from-the-coffee-shop, who gives him the low-down on a dodgy-sounding city regeneration scheme being proposed by a bunch of southerners (boo, hiss).  This leads our accidental PI to infiltrate Fat Jack’s jazz club, and later crash an invitation-only urban planning presentation under cover of a tray of award-winning panninis.  The consequences are unexpectedly rewarding for Phil, until the world-wide recession throws in a wild card.

If you enjoyed Alan Plater’s classic 1985 TV comedy-drama The Beiderbecke Affair, then you’ll love his new work Looking for Buddy, which contains many of the same eclectic ingredients – the spoof film noir style, a critique of capitalism filtered through the prism of local government, and the quest for a rare jazz record.  But fittingly Looking for Buddy isn’t merely a comedy-drama, but also a musical, so we also get the huge bonus of brand new songs composed by band leader Alan Barnes, and a live jazz quartet led by musical director Howard Gray (nicely integrated with the action).

Tim Healy (Auf Wiedersehen Pet, Billy Elliot) takes centre-stage as a convincingly ramshackle Phil, soliloquising in the best hard-bitten, semi-confessional Chandleresque manner.  Plater’s dry northern humour is delivered by the whole cast in a clever hybrid of broad Geordie and Philip Marlowe, which at first takes a little adjustment for Bolton-based ears.  And although some of the local references will make more sense when the production transfers to Newcastle, the enthusiasm and warmth of the multi-talented cast needs no gloss or translation.

Joe Stathers-Tracey has designed a continuous multi-media backdrop to flesh out the locations, but frankly the script, music and acting evoke the sense of time and place so well that it seems almost superfluous.  Director Mark Babych has come up with yet another production which is a credit to the Octagon – it’s fantastic that a whole new audience on the other side of the country will have the opportunity to experience it too.

 

Looking For Buddy is on at Bolton Octagon until Saturday 25 April 2009

Tickets: from £9.00

Evenings: Mon-Sat at 7.30pm

Matinees: Wednesday 15 April and Saturday 25 April @ 2pm

Box Office: 01204 520661

www.octagonbolton.co.uk