Theatre Review: Dreamboats and Petticoats, Sunderland Empire (From The Northern Echo)
Send us your pictures, video, news and views by texting NORTHERN ECHO to 80360 or email us
Theatre Review: Dreamboats and Petticoats, Sunderland Empire
6:21pm Wednesday 18th January 2012 in Reviews
THIS production is set in 1961, when music was having its own revolution and was becoming a defining part of a whole new way of life.
Looking at the audience, I realised that the Sixties rock ’n’ roll gangs and the juvenile delinquents who were 16 at the time are now pensioners.
The storyline, which is thinner than a skinny sparrow, involves a song-writing competition and is told in flashback by granddad – a very competent Terry Winstanley – who finds his old Fender Telecaster guitar in the attic and takes his granddaughter for a bop down memory lane.
X Factor hopeful Winstanley, who made it to the judges’ houses section of the competition, lends his great voice and a mature gravitas to a cast of talented, young musicians.
This might not be a musical with the theatre of Mamma Mia! or Sister Act, but it is honest and with more than 40 songs, all played live, it is a nostalgic celebration of the invention of music’s golden era and the hormones and harmonies of rock ’n’ roll.
Featuring classic tracks from The Shadows, Roy Orbison, Chubby Checker and Bobby Vee with hits including Let’s Dance, To Know Him Is To Love Him, Shaking All Over, Bobby’s Girl, Three Steps To Heaven, Little Town Flirt, Only Sixteen, Runaround Sue and Happy Birthday Sweet 16, the show is set before 1962, so no Beatles.
It was written by Maurice Gran and Laurence Marks, of Birds of a Feather fame, and is set in the land of polka dot skirts and flared jeans, otherwise known as Essex.
Everyone sung and played well, particularly Samantha Dorrance (Laura), Ben James- Ellis (Norman) and Robyn Mellor (Sue). Musically it was spot-on, with brilliant guitar work, a couple of rather excellent female saxophonists and a great drummer. 1961 was a good year.
• The show is staged at 7.30pm every night until Saturday. Call 0844-871-3022 or go to atqtickets.com/ sunderland
