Review: Once Upon A Time In Wigan- LIVE!
Venue: Octagon, Bolton
Date Reviewed: 7th June, 2008
Mick Martin’s Once Upon A Time In Wigan – LIVE! is another world premiere for the Bolton Octagon, and a fitting climax to this, their fortieth anniversary season. Specially re-worked by Martin, and with the addition of a live seven-piece soul band, it should keep both theatregoers, and hardened ‘soulies’ happy.
Essentially, it’s Saturday Night Fever transplanted to late 1970s Wigan. Young buck Eugene (Rupert Hill) hears his first blast of Northern Soul and is instantly hooked on the sweat, talcum powder, and all-night speed-laced elixir of the legendary ‘all-nighters’ at the Wigan Casino. Mentored and befriended by dyed in the wool ‘soulie’ Danny (Richard Oldham), Eugene’s journey chronicles the changing shift of politics, fashions, and attitudes of the times, ending at the last all-nighter in 1981.
The cast is superlative. As Maxine (Eugene’s love interest), Rokhsaneh Ghawam-Shahidi is a feisty, spunky presence. Hill’s Eugene is effortlessly likeable; a full and instinctive performance, he superbly evokes the transition from boy to man. As fellow ‘soulie’ Suzanne, Laura Bonnah is outstanding. Blessed with immaculate comic timing, she manages to make the hairs stand on the back of your neck in the final scene. Likewise, Oldham (Eugene in the original production) is faultless as Danny. Peeling away the layers of a man refusing to be defeated, it’s a deceptively subtle and nuanced performance; one of four which should be remembered by awards panels.
Mark Babych’s production is incredibly well-oiled and his finely-tuned direction allows the play room to breathe, complimenting Martin’s rich characterisation. Arguably the stars of the night, are the live band, fronted by the exceptional Paul Kissaun, and led by (resident Octagon MD) Howard Gray. Versatile, slick, amped-up and fizzing with vitality, they should keep even the most ardent Northern Soul fans happy.
If there are misgivings, it’s to do with the play, and not the production. Martin’s rites of passage story is familiar and enjoyable, and full of warm and witty dialogue. However, it’s largely without incident,and lacking any ‘poetry of the ordinary’ in the dialogue. Ultimately, it lacks the theatricality of say a Jim Cartwright or Andrea Dunbar play, and sometimes comes across like a TV drama.
Misgivings aside, this is a great night out, one that’s bound to go down a storm with audiences. As a climax to their Ruby Season, Babych and his creative team have come up trumps again. Congratulations to the Octagon – surely the region’s best theatre.
Keep the faith!
-Matthew Nichols
June 21st, 2008 at 7:45 pm
My Wife and I have just returned from seeing the simply superb “Once Upon a Time in Wigan”. I was blessed to have been part of the scene back in the 70’s and visited the venue on a number of occasions travelling from rival Northern Soul Town - Cleethorpes. The energy and excitement of the era was recreated by the cast in a whitty yet heart-breaking manner. However the live music provided by the band was fantastic and brought me to tears. I was sceptical that the live music addition to the original production could recreate those special moments in time but after the very first bars of the opening song I realized it was brilliant. Paul Kissaun and Shirley Darroch on lead vocals plus and the rest of the band delivered a faultless performance, even the slight re-arrangements in line with the play were wonderful. My only critism and regret was that there was no CD of their performance to remember the show by. All in all a absolutely fantastic show not to be missed. Thanks one and all for the happy memories which along with the tears came flooding back.