Worthing was alive with marvelous song and a group of truly versatile musicians last night as we thoroughly enjoyed the latest production of That’ll Be The Day at Worthing Pavilion Theatre.
Now in it’s 39th year, this show is true reflection of how wonderful our history of rock and roll is. Spanning from the early 1950s to the 1980s, we were treated to renditions of iconic tunes, all played live by an extremely talented band. These are not just tributes, more an homage to the original singers and writers who produced these ground breaking hits. Organised chronologically, you have a sense of time passing, sounds developing and the eras being defined.
Throughout the evening, humour and comedy are injected through the inclusion of the show’s founder, Trevor Payne, and long term collaborator Gary Anderson. The pair are clearly loved by the audience, many who’ve followed the show’s history. They are adept at playing the fool, not taking themselves too seriously and joining in with the fun. The pair’s Batman sketch was deliberately silly and Trevor’s portrayal of an aging Mick Jagger brought the house down. They still take the lead vocals, with Gary’s Roy Orbison’s performance lampooned but fantastic, and Trevor’s David Bowie really suiting his voice. There are also clips from historical television shows, demonstrating the excitement of the time, all of which put the music in context.
However, what made the evening really special was the band they have gathered around them who are given space to demonstrate their obvious ability. The lead vocalists were particularly special with Nikki Hechavarria being able to morph from Sheila Ferguson to Barbara Dickson whilst Lotty Anderson transforms from Suzi Quatro to Elaine Paige, all totally believable and completely in character. Each of the band members were also able to step up to the lead vocal, with Mark Street taking on a particularly difficult A-Ha number. They are all multi-instrumentalists, dance, get involved and seem to be having a great time. The stand-out moments for us were the rendition of ‘Mission Impossible’ with a double drum kit which left the hall cheering and a recreation of The Shadows, complete with their iconic dance moves. We also really enjoyed the extensive Abba set and tributes to The Beatles and Sir Cliff Richard.
Throughout the evening, there is a feeling of warmth and reminiscence, the full house listening and enjoying the songs before joining the dancing at the end. This is a show for all ages, introducing younger members of the audience to the classics whilst allowing those of us who are old enough to remember these songs to recall just how good they were. With the band on point throughout the night, great singers and the heritage of the show, we can see why this has been going for so long and look forward to the 40th anniversary show next year.
The show continues on tour across the country with details of venues available here.
The show will be back at Worthing Pavilion Theatre Saturday 20th September with a Christmas version available at the Assembly Hall, Worthing on Thursday 12th December.
Cast Members:
Trevor Payne
Gary Anderson
Nikki Hechavarria
Lotty Anderson
Mark Street
Jarrod Loughlin
Sean McAusland
Eduardo Neto
Michael Clancy
