Follow North East
Theatre Guide on Twitter at https://twitter.com/NETheatreGuide and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NETheatreGuide.
Rock N Roll Musical Hits Sunderland
Sunny
Afternoon
Sunderland
Empire
Until Saturday 8th
October 2016
 |
|
Photo Kevin Cummins
|
British
band The Kinks have a wonderful back catalogue thanks to their songwriter Ray
Davies. He combined the world he lived in with memorable music to produce great
hits such as All Day And All Of The
Night, You Really Got Me, Waterloo Sunset, Lola and
Dedicated Follower of Fashion. The musical Sunny Afternoon has all of those
hits wrapped up in a story of a band that refused to compromise. The resultant
show is delicious evening of entertainment.
 |
|
Photo Kevin Cummins
|
Jukebox
musicals either follow a random story that vaguely links the songs together
like Our House, Mamma Mia or Dreamboats and Petticoats, or they tell
the story of the band like in Jersey Boys. Sunny Afternoon follows the latter model and looks at the
rise in fame of The Kinks. From a band which considered themselves lucky to get
a gig at a birthday party to a band playing the likes of Madison Square Gardens. The book by Joe
Penhall, based upon Ray Davies original story, shows the trouble the band often
faced as it stuck to its socialist
principles.
 |
|
Photo Kevin Cummins
|
The
show runs for 2 ¾ hours partly down to the lack of compromise of which songs to
cover. Indeed, unlike many jukebox musicals, there is little mashing up of
lesser hits in to medlies – here we get decent length versions of the hits.
Lets face it, with this back catalogue – you should flaunt it. The musicians are on stage with musical
director Barney Ashworth and guitarist Andy Gammon. The lines between a musical
and a gig are sometimes blurred but that’s just the nature of the beast.
 |
|
Photo Kevin Cummins
|
The
story begins in Muswell Hill as 4 lads try to be successful and make a living
out of their music. Drummer Mick (Andrew Gallo) and bassist Pete (Garmon Rhys) were often
out of the limelight behind the Davies brothers. Ray Davies (Ryan O’Donnell)
goes through live writing songs about his experiences when his brother Dave
(Mark Newham) comes up with a distorted, loud power chord. After a flew flops
they now had a number one hit on their hands.
 |
|
Photo Kevin Cummins
|
The
story shows how they, like many bands, signed contracts that ensured the money
went to many other people rather than the band. Ray falls in love with Rasa
(Lisa Wright) and having a young family adds additional pressure to the band
dynamic. The Kinks were also pioneering in taking on the USA and they quickly faced
now problems on the huge tours of the States.
 |
|
Photo Kevin Cummins
|
There
is the natural humour that comes from the behaviour of the brothers but there’s
also some tongue in cheek humour in the references to John Lennon, Keith
Richards, Paul McCartney and others.
There is also some swearing but it isn’t over the top.
 |
|
Photo Kevin Cummins
|
The
action takes place on a fab set, designed by Miriam Buether, which is made up
of 3 walls of speaker cabinets. The performance space has a catwalk which
extends over the orchestra pit and into the stalls. The sound is often loud, as suits the music,
thanks to Matt McKenzie’s design and the lighting design by Rick Fisher adds to
the gig like atmosphere.
 |
|
Photo Kevin Cummins
|
The
music in the show is great. Fabulous musicians coupled with great singing
talent help replicate that Kinks sound. No wonder the audience were up on their
feet at the end during Lola. The story
works as it feels honest. Ray is a talented songwriter and described the world
as he saw it well. It is as if he was writing for a musical back in the 60s.
The story shows Dave as a young loose cannon, whilst Pete and Mick get fed up with
the proceedings. You feel that ultimately the band is going to struggle to stay
as a unit due to the pressure cooker environment it finds itself in.
 |
|
Photo Kevin Cummins
|
Sunny
Afternoon is a celebration of one of the great 60s British bands that captured
the spirit of the times. Great songs and faithful storyline add together to
create a musical to cherish.
This review was written by Stephen Oliver the North
East Theatre Guide – follow Stephen at @panic_c_button
Read
the North East Theatre Guide preview: http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/preview-sunny-afternoon-at-sunderland.html
 |
|
Photo Kevin Cummins
|
On The Web:
Website:
www.sunnyafternoonthemusical.com
Tickets:
Tickets available in person at
the Box Office on High Street West, from
the Ticket Centre on 0844 871 3022* or online at www.ATGtickets.com/Sunderland*
*Calls cost up to 7p per minute plus your standard
network charge. Booking fees may apply to telephone and online bookings
No comments:
Post a Comment