With Dreamboats and Petticoats being wedged into the Savoy prior to Legally Blonde, I thought I'd say what I thought of it yesterday at the (spectacular) Leeds Grand.

Well... if you hate Grease, this isn't going to be for you either - even though the songs are better. It's named after the eponymous 60s compilation album, and the script is devised to shoe-horn as many numbers into the plot as possible. 15 year old swot Laura wants to be Bobby's girl - but he's got the hots for Sue, who gives him the runaround so that when he tells Laura he loves her, it's too late because hunky Norman's giving her the eye. As soon as someone gets a shiver down the backbone, it's a cue for Shakin All Over and nobody can ever feel lonely or blue without Roy Orbison kicking in....

Yes, I know... but, honest, the cast is just so infectiously enthusiastic, the music and dancing so ..err... also infectiously enthusiastic, that you can't help coming out afterwards with a warm glow. Well, I couldn't... but then I'm old enough to get all the jokes about girls worrying over what their mums would say about laddering a pair of stockings that cost 3/6d from British Home Stores, at a time when teen sex was still scary and shrouded with dire warnings about not forgetting to take a 'buy me and stop one' from the barber's - or else!

Bill Kenwright evidently loves this stuff... and he's made sure the music's right with a cracking 5 piece backing band supplemented by a couple of honking saxes (credit to Sophie Byrne on tenor for nailing her rasping solos spot on) who also double effectively as ensemble. Special nod to Jennifer Biddall and Ben Freeman for their respective roles as vamp and hunk. Scott Bruton didn't quite do it for me as drippy Bobby and newcomer Daisy Wood-Davies as the ingenue will go far if she keeps this promise going. Stand out performance, for me, was Emma Hatton as Donna (yes, they sing that one too)... with a great gutsy mezzo voice, lovely dancer and a presence that lights the stage up. If she can act as well (with all due respect, her lines didn't exactly require her to run the whole gamut) she too should soon be seen in greater things.

So I dunno... maybe you had to be there at the time to get the most from it - as most in the packed and wildly excited Leeds matinee audience clearly had. It's an affectionate British look at the way we like to think things were and there are many worse ways I can think of to spend an afternoon ... including some on show in the West End at present.

A *** plus rating, but I'd like to give it foive cause I enjoyed it so.

I didn't realise Emma Hatton was in this, I might have to go just to see her. I saw her in When Midnight Strikes at the Finborough two years ago - I think it was her professional debut - and have been hoping since that she'd pop up in something else as she really impressed me in that.

See this in Sunderland next week just before it goes into the Savoy. Looking forward to it

I don't think the transfer is selling very well at the moment. I wonder whether it will go on for as long as planned.

I ended up really enjoying this when it was on at my work a few months ago, it surprised me!

i saw this a couple months ago in birmingham, really enjoyed it, its one mum wanted to see as its here era, but it surprised me i really enjoyed it, good cast, great music, and not bad sets at all for this type, is it the origional cast that are going into london??

It didn't sell here either (Wycombe)

Saw this tonight in Sunderland, was PACKED (Although first night is half price night). Audience LOVED IT!

Try and catch it if you can!

It doesn’t have anything new to say. Another ‘musical’ using a concept that has been used for the last 25 years or so.

No stunt casting, wow cast or set. Why would this sell We need something new and I doubt this or Too close to the sun is going to give us it

"We" might need something new... but are there enough of "us" for producers to abandon the tried and trusted formula and sink enough money into taking a chance on different material by 'unknowns'. Emma Hatton, for instance, one of the leads in Dreamboats, was in a well-received production of When Midnight Strikes at the little Finborough a couple of years ago. Despite its good reviews, it never transferred - presumably on the grounds of perceived lack of commercial appeal rather than any shortcomings of its own.

For as long as people like Bill Kenwright are putting up their own money on the success or failure of their businesses, we're going to get shows with mass appeal. And before you start knocking him and his business model.... ask yourselves why, in a free economy, nobody else is prepared to try staging the artistically challenging stuff on a national basis.

Anyway.... maybe its a North/South thing... Leeds and Sunderland bopping in the aisles to it whilst the snooty Home Counties are turning their noses up at having a good time in public.

try having a saturday night out in HW and you will find it's like any town in the country. drunken hen nights and really good quality fights!

some producers do take risks. look what came out of broadway in the 50's 60's and 70's, A lot of Cameron's work and even BK with his record breaking production of Cabaret (ok that was a prodcution and not a new style of story stelling / writing) but still there are risk takers out there, in my opinion they are becoming less and less though

The recession doesn't help though. Maybe in better times producers will be braver.

Went to see this last night in Sunderland and thoroughly enjoyed it. Couldnt single anyone out in particular as everyone gave 100% and was pleasantly surprised to find that Ben Freeman could sing. Although the theatre wasnt packed - I estimate about 600 people were in many were standing during the last few songs and were having a ball! A feel good show with lots of golden oldies to sing along to. Some of us were even having a sing a long during the interval when they played the songs from the album that were not in the show. Go see if you can

I don't think it has anything to do with class or snootiness (although I take the remark to be made with your toungue at least half way in your cheek!!) However there is certainly a problem with any show playing on the M25 circuit as it is so easy for people to 1) Pick and choose between the many venues in the vicinity and 2) Go to the West End. There are an awful of of this type of shows around - This one was ok but not amazing. When we had CHICAGO a couple of weeks later the difference between a show with specifically written book and score and one which has been spliced together was pretty stark.

Sebastian

oh tell me about it and yet people don't care. they just keep running to sh!te errr i mean things like mamma mia and rock you because they know the music no matter how poor the narrative is

oes anyone know if they do student discounts?

dont know about student discounts but there are plenty of half price offers around!

I know there's plenty of deep discounting going on, but stalls and dress were sold out last Thurs mat - couldn't see into top tier. Outside the SD, I even heard rumours of an extension - though this is, presumably, to the tour.

Booked tix for my daughter for this in Nottm in Oct and already couldn't get closer than Row N. So whatever else they say about Uncle Bill... he knows how to give the sort of people who like this sort of thing the sort of thing those sorts of people will like - and sell it to them

Show is now much tighter than when I saw it at Leeds, btw, and Ben Freeman in particular has his part off to a 'T'.

I read somewhere that it's been extended at the Savoy until October, but I'm due to see it in Coventry in September. I wonder if the original cast will stay in the West End?

They have an entire new cast for the tour and they are in a secret underground bunker rehearsing as i type.......................ha!

Come on then tell us who the new cast is? im going to see it on Monday in Coventry and want to know who i am going to be seeing playing the leads????

Wayne Smith
Francesca Jackson
Michael Paver

How gutting. I'm not familiar with any of them, and was looking forward to seeing some of the current West End cast as I'd heard good things. Shame.

There is one new west end lead cast should be announced soon !

Who is playing Laura

Lauren Hood

Seen the show five 5 times and i love it..........

Here is a review of it.




http://authspot.com/journals/dreamboats-an...y-of-nostalgia/

Has anyone seen the new cast in the touring production yet?

Seen it in Belfast. Francesca Jackson (from I'd Do Anything and Rent) was absolutely outstanding

Thanks for the info, and the review!

Does anyone know if this show is still running, as it sounds great?

It is at the following Theaters: Churchill Theater Bromley 9th-14th Nov
Milton Keynes Theater 16th-21 Nov
New Theater Hull 23th-28th Nov
Lyceum Theater Sheffield 1st-5th Dec

It is a great show seen it in London, when it was at the Savoy lots of times. Also saw the tour in Blackpool, and my next visit is to see it in Sheffield

Thanks so much for the info.

It's going to the Playhouse Theatre in London previews from 6th January, booking until 29th May:

http://www.ambassadortickets.com/1344/673/...-and-Petticoats

Obviously the Savoy run was a huge success!

Thats great news, wonder what cast they will use, as I hear the touring cast are very good too.

I have seen the tour a few times and Wayne Smith as Ray and Lauren Hood as Laura are excellent, i would love to see Wayne and Lauren in the West-end

I am frankly amazed given that it was always on the boards at the 1/2 price ticket booths. Maybe they are paying the cast peanuts?

I was surprised too - but obviously it's a very profitable show with tickets selling for £25...

Has any casting been announced for the West End return of this yet?

I believe that the westend cast has been recalled its a shame as the tour as plenty of talent and a mix of the two would have been sensible.

It states on the Dreamboats and Petticoats site that the cast are being confirmed at the moment, and they will announce the final confirmation when they have it. I was hoping that some of the cast off the tour. would come into the west-end. I thought Wayne Smith and Lauren Hood were outstanding. I am off to see it again in Sheffield on Wednesday.

I agree. Also Francesca Jackson was also superb and Jonathan Bremner. Would love to see them in the West End.

When I saw the recent touring cast I forgot to get a programme so didn't know who was who, but the guy who played Ray was absolutely brilliant. Easily the best thing in the show.

Have to agree with you Richard, Ray is played by Wayne Smith and he is brilliant

Went to see the show in Sheffield yesterday and it was brilliant as always. Wayne Smith,
Lauren Hood, and Robert Capper, get better each time i see them. And it would be nice to see the aforementioned in the West-End when it opens in January

anyone know who is doing the tour? The dates are up !!

I was wondering that. I heard they had open auditions, on the 16th Dec to cast for the show

Is the show open-ended in London when it reopens or is it another limited run? Either way can't see it lasting much more than to the end of the year if it is open ended.

Is it true that there isn't a live band on this show and it's sung to a prerecorded track? Does anyone know?