Review: Dreamboats and Petticoats

August 31, 2017 by Leigh-on-Sea.com

If you love Rock ‘n Roll and looking for a nostalgic trip down memory lane, a night out to see Dreamboats and Petticoats would be money well spent.

Adapted from the incredibly popular compilations CDs of the same name, Dreamboats and Petticoats is a jukebox musical, packed with pop music from the late 1950s to the early 1960s.

The show is set in 1961. Emotions run high as young musicians Norman and Bobby compete to win a national song writing competition - and, more importantly, the attention of the gorgeous Sue! But when Bobby discovers that shy Laura is no slouch on the piano, love and rock ‘n’ roll fame beckons. OK, so it’s not exactly Shakespeare and takes a very predictable path but, it is quite sweet and charming, nonetheless.

I think it’s fair to say that the music upstages the storyline. No less than 45 hit songs from the era are packed into one show, all played live on stage by the actors-musicians. Roy Orbison, The Shadows, Eddie Cochran, Billy Fury, and many more including Let’s Dance, To Know Him Is To Love Him, Shaking All Over, Bobby’s Girl, Little Town Flirt, Only Sixteen, Runaround Sue, Happy Birthday Sweet 16… you get the idea. The audience absolutely lapped it up.

With the majority of the audience over the age of 60, the script was littered with jokes and references to the era, giving everyone a chance to reminisce. To be honest, I found the script rather cheesy and very dated but, as I looked around me, the audience grinned and clapped and danced in the aisles. I concluded that I just wasn’t the target audience for the show.

The cast gave it 100% and enthusiastically gave it their all. With such a growing trend for using actor-musicians in today’s theatre, it seems that it’s not just enough to sing or act. Now you need to do a jive whilst playing a saxophone to even get a look in!

If Rock ‘n Roll is your passion, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. You’ll be doing the twist before the night is out. On at The Cliff’s until Saturday 2nd September.

Book your tickets here