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Synopsis With a career spanning six decades and including nine smash hit singles (three which became Number One), Neil Sedaka has been inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame, had a street named after him in his hometown of Brooklyn, and was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. From the innocent Fifties to the cynical Seventies and beyond, he has written and performed some of the world's most beloved pop songs including 'Oh, Carol', 'Breaking Up Is Hard To Do', 'Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen', 'Hey Little Devil', 'Stupid Cupid', 'Amarillo', 'Laughter in the Rain' and many more. Born in Brooklyn, the son of a taxi-driver, Sedaka started songwriting at Broadway's legendary Brill Building, penning his first hit, Oh Carol, for his then girlfriend, Carole King. He went on to become a teenage idol to rival Elvis but in 1964 his career collapsed as America embraced the Beatles and other bands of the so-called 'British Invasion'. For almost a decade, he struggled to support his wife, Leba, and their two children but found salvation in moving to Britain, where he signed to Elton John's Rocket Records label, and remarkably returned to the top of the US charts in 1974 with 'Laughter In The Rain' - remaining a national treasure there as well as in the UK ever since. Laughter in The Rain - a remarkable story of triumph against the odds.
The latest in the long line of juke box musicals sees the story of Neil Sedaka played out in Laughter in the Rain. Set in the style of popular musicals such as Jersey Boys, Laughter focuses on the life and career of Sedaka which spans over 40 years.
Growing up in New York in a tiny apartment with his parents, sister and 3 aunts, Sedaka began training at the Julliard School however soon formed a dynamic song writing partnership with slightly geeky neighbour, Howard Greenfield. Soon the pair were writing hit records for artists such as Connie Francis and Sedaka began to have a successful career as a solo artist.
The British Invasion of the music charts in the 1960s saw Sedaka’s career nose dive and poor management by his mother and her boyfriend left him broke and in debt to the tax man. Picking himself up and moving to the UK where he had always remained popular saw his career take off again and with the help of artists such as Elton John, Sedaka remerged as an incredibly successful singer/song writer who is still writing and performing today.
The main problem with this piece is that Sedaka appears to be a genuinely nice guy. This means that there is not meat to the story and yes, there is the rags to riches success story and the financial problems but essentially there is not enough grit to the tale and this makes the story board weak. Think of recent biopics Walk The Line and Nowhere Boy and here, you do not get the grit that these tales have. However the music just keeps coming and the shear number of hit songs performed is impressive. This show serves as a great reminder of some of Sedaka’s greatest works and it is the hit songs that pull the audience in.
Wayne Smith as Sedaka cuts a very impressive male lead and his voice is faultless. The ensemble cast provide great support and Kieran Brown as Tony Christie almost brings the house down. However the biggest cheer of the evening is for Sedaka himself who took to the stage at the curtain call and seated at the piano played some of his greatest hits, much to the delight of the audience and proved that he is still's dynamic and polished performer.
Although not breaking any musical theatre boundaries; Laughter in the Rain is set to be a sure fire hit and surely a stint in the West End will follow the tour.
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