Orchard Theatre, Dartford, September 16
Throughout the ‘70s Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn reigned supreme, writing huge chart hits for every year of the decade, including 5 number one’s, mainly short, catchy, infectious tunes that got inside your head and within 90 seconds you’d be singing along to them.
Transferring that same spirit to the stage ‘BLOCKBUSTER’, grabs hold of the audience with the opening number ‘Tiger Feet’ and doesn’t let go.
Twenty-one of their biggest hits are woven into an original take on ‘boy meets girl’ fantasy with exciting choreography ensuring the pace never lets up, faultless throughout the young cast, overseen by Director Paul Nicholas, as Crazy Max, and Louise English as Alice, obviously enjoying themselves as they deliver ‘Oh Carol’, ‘Devil Gate Drive’, ‘Ballroom Blitz’ with slick, energetic dance routines, ‘Little Willy’ and ‘Mickey’ both had the extra fun injection, Les Gray would have been proud to hear Elvis, backed by Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran, singing Mud hits, but the showstopper has to be ‘I’ll Meet You At Midnight’ escapism within a fantasy world.
Aaron Sidwell, Suzanne Shaw and Aimie Atkinson may have the billing but this is a solid company performance with everyone pulling out all the stops, impressive light and sound effects, minimal sets, everything about the show works.
If you are going to premiere a pop musical This Is The Way To Do It.
Blockbuster is at The Orchard until 20th, (www.orchardtheatre.co.uk) with more dates this month, ahead of a nationwide tour next year.