Get Out More…………………………….Theatre Review

SHOUT (Alexandra Theatre, until Saturday)

07-05-2008

Dubbed “the ultimate '60s feelgood musical” and starring former Brookie star Clare Sweeney, Shout is in town this week.  Theresa and Joe Millington deliver the verdict.

Go Downtown to The Alexandra Theatre Birmingham and enjoy a veritable musical feast of what the swinging sixties had to offer.

This show stars   Claire  Sweeney as Ruby and Su Pollard as Yvonne., both offer fantastic performances of high quality in this wonderful musical.

The show takes us through the sixties through the eyes of three young women and their trials and tribulations along the way.

The decade is punctuated by articles in a women’s magazine “Shout” covering many issues including the contraceptive pill, fashion, music, England’s World Cup win and the first man on the moon; these contributions were made by the Magazine’s Tony T, played by Howard Jones who delivered his narrations with great humour and a great many change of costumes.

We even get to see the man in black who delivers the chocolates to his beloved in dangerous circumstances.

Claire Sweeney plays Ruby a good-time girl ready to enjoy the high life in London. She clearly loves this role and exuded sparkle and radiance.

Su Pollard plays Yvonne or Vonnie as the girls fondly call her - she is the comic agony aunt. She plays the part with great ease and delivers her humour beautifully, to the delight of the audience.

Both Claire and Su share the singing with Shona White, Donna Steele, Louisa Maxwell and Julie Stark.

The musical is full of all the favourites of the sixties and feet were tapping and hands clapping throughout culminating in a glamorous finale where the majority of the audience took to their feet  and joined with great enthusiasm and passion.

As the audience scattered their way out from the Alexandra in various directions into the city one could hear various strains of “Downtown…….”. The sign of a great night out !  

Shout runs until Saturday 10 May.  Tickets from www.alexandratheatre.org.uk or via Ticketmaster 0844 847 2294