Come Dancing

Synopsis

Set in and around the Ilford Palais in the 1950’s, Come Dancing takes us back to a time when Saturday night dancing at the local palais was the magical, not-to-be-missed highlight of every young person’s week. Come Dancing will be a memorable night out too - full of new songs by one of the world’s most respected songwriters

Our Review:

25 September 2008

For anyone with one foot in the past, here’s a toe-tapping night in the theatre that rewinds you back to the good old bad old days of the 1950s Ilford Palais – decades before ballroom dancing had Strictly attached to it – and reminds you of a time when entire East End families would go out together for a Saturday night glide at the local ballroom.

Adapted by The Kinks' lugubrious frontman Ray Davies from his own song “Come Dancing” (with book collaborator Paul Sirett), this powerfully nostalgic musical could so easily have become a vanity project. After all, too many venerable rock and pop acts have reworked their back-catalogues for the stage, with varying degrees of success. Mamma Mia!, We Will Rock You and Jersey Boys may well be top of the jukebox musical pops, but who, apart from Gerry Marsden and the Pacemakers themselves, remembers the clapped-out compilation cruddiness of Ferry Cross the Mersey?

Davies, however, was always far too ...

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Latest User Review

Gareth James - 2 October 2008:

Some of his contemporaries are cashing in with overpriced arena tours, despite the fact they can no longer cut it. Others are on tacky versions of 60's package tours, trading on their names and a handful of 45-year old hits. Then there's Ray Davies, always a pioneer and forever a Londoner, collaborating with our most populist theatre on a nostalgic, heart-warming and charming show. He was the first in a long line of London pop music storytellers - Squeeze & Madness followed and Lily Allen & Kate Nash continue the tradition today - so it is a perfect outlet for his undimmed talen, proven by some great new songs. Jenny Tirimani has created a retro Palais de Danse which just oozes 50's. The excellent band and cast serve Davies' story and score very well. Kerry Michael's continues this great theatre's grand tradition of shows anchored in the local community. It's an uplifting evening and a delightful experience. GO!!!...

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