Programme
WARNING SPOILER!!! - Click here for Short Synopsis (Teaser)
ACT I
In a London cafe on a rainy day, three London Transport bus mechanics, Edwin, Steve and Cyril, are waiting for the fourth member of their group, Don, to arrive (Foot Tapper/Is it Still Raining). The boys are looking forward to their summer vacation (Seven Days to a Holiday - pt. 1), but with little money are resigned to limiting themselves to a week in Clacton! Then Don arrives with good news, he has persuaded their employers to loan them an old bus for a trip to the South of France (In the Country). The boys have only seven days to renovate the old bus (Seven Days to a Holiday - pt. 2) and enlist their friends to help them. The work is completed in time and the boys set off on their Summer Holiday. Whilst travelling through France, the boys encounter three girls whose car has broken down. Attempting to speak to the girls in broken French they soon discover they are Londoners, Alma, Mimsie and Angela, a trio of singers calling themselves "Do-re-mi", on their way to a concert engagement (Gee Whiz it's you). They offer the girls a lift in the bus (Let Us Take You for a Ride) and only then discover that they are headed for Athens. In Paris, singer Barbara Winter is rehearsing for a TV appearance (Constantly), but rebels against her overbearing mother and flees the studio. Back at the bus, which has stopped in Paris, the boys and girls return from a night out (I Could Easily Fall in Live With You) to find they have a stowaway on board - Barbara, disguised as a young boy, Bobby. Bobby tells them he is trying to catch his parents who are on their way to Athens and they agree to take him along. They continue their journey enjoying lazy days along the way (Time Drags By). Meanwhile, Stella, Barbara's mother, has discovered she is travelling on the bus and uses the situation to garner free publicity by claiming Barbara has been kidnapped. Trying to delay the bus, Stella calls the authorities and claims the boys have been taking paying passengers without a licence. The bus is stopped at the Swiss border, but with the help of the girls performing part of their act they are able to convice the border guard they are a pop group (Les Girls) and he allows them through. Later, Danny is taking a shower when Bobby passes by, and he engages Bobby in a conversation about girls (Bachelor Boy), saying he never intends to get serious. Later still, the boys and girls are enjoying a night out (Dancing Shoes / We say Yeah) when Bobby loses his cap whilst dancing, revealing that he is a she - Barbara.
ACT II
The party continues (Move It). Barbara, embarrassed, has run off and Don has gone in search of her but returns alone. Then Barbara returns dressed now as a girl and apologises for deceiving them all. The boys and girls vote unanimously to forgive her and take her with them as they continue on their journey. Don and Barbara are growing close but deny that it is love (A Swinging affair), whilst the other boys and girls begin to pair off, Angie with Cyril, Alma with Steve and Mimsie with Edwin (I've Got a Funny Feeling). The attraction also grows between Don and Barbara to a point where it becomes difficult to deny (Living Doll). At the Italian border, Stella again tries to hold up the bus by accusing the boys of stealing a locket she has planted on board. But Barbara claims it as hers since it has her photo inside and again they are allowed through. Continuing on their journey the boys and girls encounter a bride and her bridesmaids, sitting disconsolately in the road as they cannot get to the church for the wedding (Lei Vuole Ballare). They have limited time to catch the ferry to Greece, but decide to make the detour to deliver the bride to the wedding. The wedding goes ahead and they join in the celebrations (Do You Wanna Dance) before leaving. In Rome, Stella and Jerry, her agent, are sure they have stopped the bus but are surprised to see it arriving in the city and hatch a new plan to stop it. They disguise themselves as Spanish dancers and Stella distracts the boys and girls (La La La Song) whilst Jerry steals the bus keys. Due to the delay, the boys and girls miss the passenger ferry but, undaunted, they hitch a lift on a charter ferry carrying the Greek goat throwing team! And arrive in Athens on time for the girls to make their gig. By now Don has fallen completely in love with Barbara (The Young Ones) but her mother arrives and drags her away, leaving him feeling abandoned and alone again (The Next Time). But Barbara returns and they affirm their love and agree to be married. Stella arranges a big press conference to announce the safe recovery of Barbara from her kidnappers (Big News), but the boys gate-crash the event to tell their side of the story. Barbara tells her mother she loves Don, and Stella suddenly warms to him when news arrives that the bus company are delighted with the publicity the bus has received travelling across the continent and are putting the boys in charge of a permanent project carrying fare paying passengers. The girls fulfill their gig (I'm the Lonely One) and they all meet up for a party On the Beach. Finale (Summer Holiday[reprise] / Do You Wanna Dance[reprise]).
This is a fast paced, feel-good musical where the emphasis is very strongly on the music as the numbers follow upon each other thick and fast with often barely a pause in between - and the Buttershaw St. Paul's AODS certainly did it justice with an action packed evening of fine singing, energizing dancing and foot-tapping music.
The action centres around a London bus and this is represented on stage by a more or less full size cutout of the front view, through the windows of which we see the driver and the passengers inside. There is also an inside side view where we see the interior of the bus complete with dining area and kitchen. For the travel scenes, different sized models are drawn across the front and back of the stage - it should be naff, but surprisingly it isn't - just charmingly amusing in complete accord with the tongue-in-cheek sense of fun that pervades the whole production.
A strong overall cast contains some great dancers and some strong voices in the leading roles. Andy Redfern, as Don, has the looks and body of a boy-band heart-throb and a great voice too, albeit it lacks the training to bring out its full musicality. Amy Jagger looks and sounds good too as love interest Barbara. But they were both overshowed, for me, by the singing threesome "Do-re-mi" (Kathryn Tonks, Christina D'Apoloito and Hannah Smithies), who charmed and fascinated with some delightfully performed song and dance numbers. Kudos also to Anne Tonks and Phil Jowett who provided much of the comedy - particularly the latter whose slightly camp take on the singers agent (think Zero Mostel with shades of John Inman) was totally hilarious. The band, also, were terrific, small in number but certainly not in sound they provided great backing throughout and were hugely impressive in the instrumental numbers, playing segments from the Shadows greatest hits to keep us amused during the scene changes.
Overall, this is a great musical, impressively performed, and a real treat for nostalgia lovers (personally speaking, this was the music I grew up to). But that is not the limit of it's appeal as the music also has a verve and energy that is sure to appeal to all ages and equally entertain later generations who have never heard it before.
The swingingest rock and roll musical ever. A great nostalgia fest for those who remeber the period but with enough verve and energy to appeal to all ages.
Don Gillan - www.stagebeauty.net
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