The Octagon and Live Theatre, Newcastle present the World Premiere of Looking for Buddy, from tonight. This is Alan Plater‘s first new play since Blonde Bombshells of 1943, his hilarious and nostalgic hit presented to great acclaim at the Octagon and now on its third national tour. 

“The day Northern Rock went belly up and I met a beautiful blonde, I was in my office…no question, it was a blonde. To quote the great Raymond Chandler, a blonde to make a bishop kick a hole in a stained glass window.”

So Phil, a Geordie private eye, begins Alan Plater’s song-filled jazz musical about what’s happening to the cities in the North.

Looking for Buddy focuses on Phil’s search for the missing recording of the legendary jazz trumpeter Buddy Bolden. While being haunted by the legend Phil finds himself entangled with smart London developers and financiers as they plan to transform and vandalise all that is best in a north eastern town. The play is filled with jokes and songs in Alan’s own inimitable and witty style with a new stunning score from renowned jazz composer and musician Alan Barnes.

The cast will be led by the much-loved actor from Auf Wiedersehen Pet and BBC One’s Waterloo Road Geordie star, Tim Healy in his debut at the Octagon Theatre, as Phil. Starring along side him is Jayne MacKenzie as Ella and Jane Holman as Bella, Phil Corbitt, who last appeared in Eight Miles High, as Frank, Nicholas Lumley as Fat Jack and Jacqueline Boatswain as Zelda.

Looking For Buddy runs at the Octagon until Saturday 25th April.

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