Reviews

Looking for Buddy

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14 May 2009

Live Theatre

Tim
Healy, a co-founder of Live Theatre, returns to the venue with a new
Alan Plater production, Looking for Buddy, which is a jazz
musical.

Healy
plays Phil an architect whose own business is on the skids until a
mysterious blonde walks in to his office, by mistake, or was it a
mistake? Phil talks to the audience and the
production style is that of the characters own favourite author Raymond
Chandler. The whole play is very reminiscent of the old Bogart films,
with Philip Marlowe describing the action and the blonde like Lauren
Bacall.

The
basis of the plot revolves around a redevelopment corporation trying to
regenerate North Tyneside and turn Wallsend in to two championship golf
courses. Phil agrees to try and put a stop to the process and save a
club in Wallsend along the way. But along the way he needs to find a
recording of Buddy Bolden, a legendary trumpet player. There are only
two problems, first of all Buddy died over thirty years ago and
secondly, as far as anyone knows he never made a recording.

There
are plenty local references in the story as we are taken from the Lit
and Phil to the Banks of the Tyne and Wallsend. There is plenty of
humour and Plater hits the mark each time with his jokes. I
can think of no other production that could mention both Mickey Rooney
and Dennis Wise virtually in the same sentence and get the best laughs
of the night.

Healy
is ably support by his fellow cast members and a great three pieced
band who belt out the jazz numbers. Although Act One had too many
songs, which slowed the action, in act two the cast appeared more at
ease, the humour flowed better and the songs were excellent. In fact
there are at least two numbers that I would like to hear again if ever
there was a recording.

Looking
for Buddy is certainly different and there is nothing wrong
in that, in fact it gives its a unique charm all of its own. Did we
find Buddy? Well that would be telling but it is a fun journey finding.

– John Dixon