The legendary Broadway show Dreamgirls took a while to arrive in the UK. 37 years in fact. However we British theatre goers are a patient lot, and with its popularity buoyed by a wonderful movie adaptation in 2006, finally the Dreamgirls conquered London and are now bringing their sequinned gowns to theatres nationwide. I finally caught up with the tour at the Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham where a packed house waited patiently for a delayed curtain up, with the lead role quickly being replaced by the understudy for reasons not explained.
Dreamgirls is loosely based on the story of Diana Ross and the Supremes. The Dreamettes - Effie, Deena and Lorell - enter a talent competition, they don't win but are invited to become backing singers for R & B star Jimmy "Thunder" Early. Naturally this is all well and good but former car salesman Curtis Taylor Jnr. becomes the Dreamettes manager, and eventually repackaged as the Dreams they embark on their own successful hit making career. But behind the scenes things are working out so well. Curtis is seeing Effie, but when Deena and Curtis get together Effie is furious and proves herself to be unreliable. The group have no choice but to permanently replace Effie.
And so the story unfolds. The production currently touring the UK has a lot to commend it. Tim Hartley's set and costumes superbly conjure up the 1960s and 70s, as the career of the Dreams is played out. In the central roles Nicole Louise Lewis, Natalie Kassanga and Paige Peddie lead an outstanding black cast. In the role of Effie White, Lewis power bombs her way through the score, and the iconic "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" brings the audience to its feet, almost unheard of mid-show. Kassanga and Peddie provide solid vocals and fill out the drama, but its really Effie's show, its written to showcase her. Brandon Lee Sears is a stand out as the groin thrusting Jimmy Early, his high energy, physically skilled take on the character makes sure that this is not a total walkover by the female leads. Similarly Christopher Gopaul delivers a Curtis who is brutal in his business dealings and also with his behaviour towards Effie and Deena.
The score by Tom Eyen and Henry Kreiger sounds just as as fresh today as it did more than three decades ago. "One Night Only" has become a standard for many singers over the years, but it really is at its best when in the middle of this musical as both Effie and her former colleagues in the Dreams both release single versions, only for Curtis to use his money and influence to block Effie's version. The stage version has adopted the song "Listen" written for Beyonce Knowles in the movie, and is here transformed into a powerful duet. Just two examples of a rich score, which remains one of the great Broadway musicals.
Director and Choreographer Casey Nicholaw has balanced the musical numbers with the smaller, but equally powerful emotional drama at the heart of the show. The audience is rooting for Effie throughout, and when she returns at the end of the show for a final performance with the Dreams there is not a single person in the auditorium who isn't thrilled that she has seemingly come through tough times and is unbeaten. Its a mirror for us all.
The only reservation about the evening was the sound. There were many times in the show where the musicians - and indeed the dialogue - just needed ramping up. I was sitting five rows back and was struggling to hear. Goodness knows how it sounded much further back. The first time I have encountered this for a major musical. I thought it might just be me, but talking to others it seems I was not the only one. Very strange if this was a deliberate sound design choice.
But that aside, Dreamgirls lives up to its massive reputation. We undoubtedly haven't seen the last of Effie, Deena and Lorell. The UK may have had a long wait for The Dreams, but I would say that they are here to stay.
As we approach the festive season, some theatres are looking at presenting an alternative to the traditional Christmas pantomime. Leicester Curve have played a blinder by comitting to perhaps one of the best loved of all fantasy shows. The Wizard Of Oz has endeared itself to the public for over 80 years, through the iconic 1939 movie which had become a fixture of the Christmas TV schedules, and now streaming services. Despite it's enormous popularity, it does come with some pitfalls. The performances and look of the movie have become part of its legend, so conjuring up a new version of the tale is bound to be difficult as the public is so well engrained with what is seen as the definitive screen version.
But the people at Leicester Curve like a challenge, director Nikolai Foster has assembled a formidable team of talents both on and off stage to bring the magic alive. The combined talents of set designer Colin Richmond, projection designer Douglas O'Connell and costume and puppet designer Rachael Canning are the real stars of the evening. We are presented with a lavish interpreation, which opens with sweeping projections over Kansas as we hone in on the farm where Dorothy Gale lives with her Aunt Em and Uncle Henry. The entire show is a feast for the eyes at every level. Abstract designs are employed in many hues to conjur up the magical land of Oz.
Dorothy is played by the talented Georgina Onuorah (whom I saw giving a wonderful Cinderella in Andrew Lloyd Webber's new musical earlier in the year) and here she employs her beautiful voice to great effect, finding the real pathos in 'Over The Rainbow'. She is joined by three powerhouse performers Jonny Fines (Scarecrow), Paul French (Tin Man) and Giovanni Spanó (Lion) who have the difficult task of not replicating the movie, but each finds their own take on these most famous of characters. Christina Bianco is a stylish scooter riding Glinda the good fairy, but of course the most enjoyable scenes are provided by Miss Gulch alias The Wicked Wicked of the West played by Ellie Mitchell. Ellie stepped into the role of the Witch at short notice when the actress playing her was indisposed, and credit where it is due, Mitchell was amazing. Nobody would ever have known, had it not been a speech at the curtain call, that with minimal rehearsal a cover had stepped in. Bravo. Despite all the talented performers on stage, inevitably the scenes are often stolen by the puppet Toto who won the kids over throughout the show. Never perform with children, animals or puppets it seems because you will be upstaged every time.
In this version of the show, there are extra songs by West End legends Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, but in effect these are not really very memorable. And for my money could easily be cut in favour of giving the characters more time to breath, the scenes zip by at such a rate that there is little chance for us to really get to know the characters. Perhaps its a desire to keep the running time modest for fear of restlessness among the younger children, personally I felt it needed to slow down a little in places so we can take in what is happening and work up some empathy for the characters.
The eleven piece band were certainly on top form, blasting out the music in a manner which would have many a West End show struggling to keep up. Overall the show is bright, bold and classily presented and is yet another example of why Leicester Curve now lead the way with musical revivals.
It was lovely to see Judy Garland as Dorothy looking down on the final scene, as if her presence empowered the efforts of all involved. The Wizard Of Oz remains a huge crowd pleaser of a show and this Yellow Brick Road should certainly lead to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for the Curve. Get those ruby slippers on and head for the Emerald City whilst you can.
Rob Cope
Further information on this production can be found HERE
Musicals come in many forms, some last and some fall by the wayside. One show that seems to be an evergreen is Bugsy Malone, the tale of rival gangs in 1920s New York. Originally a movie written by Alan Parker (with music and lyrics by Oscar winning Paul Williams). This 1977 screen version gave a major boost to the fledgling careers of Scott Baio and Jodie Foster among others and cemented the musical as a favourite with generations, due to its high slapstick factor.
The stage version is being revived by the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith, and the dark walls and fire escapes that provide the backdrop to the stage set immmediately conjur up for us the era of Prohibition and mobsters. Adding a huge dose of colour is Fat Sam's Speakeasy, where gang leader Fat Sam intends muscling in on the territory of his long time rival Dandy Dan by the use of the new 'splurge gun'. It was perhaps a stroke of genius taking away the threat of deadly ammunition and replacing it with custard pies and gunge, thereby making this a real family friendly take on mob rule.
The slapstick OTT style of the show may not be everyones cup of tea, but it certainly had a great reception from the packed Opera House audience. Songs such as 'Bad Times', 'So You Wanna Be A Boxer?' and 'Fat Sam's Grand Slam' are expertly delivered by a cast of minors and adults, weaving together the story. True, a few of the scenes fall a bit flat from time to time but overall the pace of the story is kept, and there are some standout performances not least from big voiced Mia Lakha as Blousey whose 'Ordinary Fool' is a showstopper, Albie Snelson as Fat Sam brings the right amount of comedic heavy to the role and Aidan Oti delivers a wonderfully bleak 'Tomorrow.'
Director Sean Holmes keeps the rather thin story from dragging, bringing us slapstick and song combined whilst set and costume designer Jon Hausor delivers both the glamour of the 1920s and the faded splendour of downtown New York. The Speakeasy and an inventive car chase sequence are two examples of how the look of the show is stylish whilst true to its setting.
The cast work hard to bring the admittedly stock characters to life, and their sheer exuberance wins the audience over. Bugsy Malone has been performed in schools for decades, and it is clear that with its target audience the show is still a winner. This quality production - heading into London as soon as its tour is completed - will ensure Bugsy, Dandy Dan and Fat Sam will be around for some time yet. Get your ticket now - but learn to duck!
In the summer of 1984 I was lucky enough to see Les Dawson performing at the Grand Theatre in Blackpool. It was a masterclass of comedy. He did it all.... Cosmo Smallpiece, playing the piano badly and joined with Roy Baraclough to bring Cissie and Ada to the stage as Blackpool landladies. It was a performance that has stayed in my memory for nearly four decades. So naturally I was intrigued to see that master mimic Jon Culshaw was bringing to the stage a one man show, written by Tim Whitnall, paying tribute to the much missed Dawson.
Culshaw is a performer whose career has been defined by detail. So much was expected of the physical manifestation of Les Dawson, and Culshaw doesn't disappoint. With rotund figure and a face like a robbers dog, we have before us Les. And of course as you would expect, Jon's vocal delivery is pitch perfect. For all intents and purposes we could be seeing Les rise from the dead. It's uncanny. The world weary asides and the impossible facial contortions, are all recreated with uncanny accuracy. We are in for quite a ride.
The play is superficially set on a flight on Concorde to New York, where Dawson will be performing at a club. The set consists of just a chair, a piano and a large 1970s telly that dominates the stage. As Dawson's story gets underway, it's not long before the TV screen comes to life and Cissie and Ada (Culshaw of course) start to comment on the course of the narrative in their own inimitable fashion, amid much gurning and bosom heaving.
We are taken through Dawson's eventful life from a childhood of poverty, his early talent for comedy, failed jobs and a stint in Paris as a pianist in a brothel. All through Dawson really wants to be a writer, his ambitions to be a published author nestling away even when he has broken through the tough variety circuit and achieved remarkable things on television.
The show is a mix of the Dawson we know and love, and the private man with his fears of failure forever looming over him like a black cloud. Culshaw taps into the warmth of Dawson, never letting the maudlin aspects of the story overwhelm, but delivering a performance of great depth and empathy. Whitnall's script employs several of Dawson's famous comic monologues, and the comedian's naturally verbosity is evident throughout the evening. Culshaw diverts us from one major impression to others such as Alan Whicker, Billy Connolly and Dale Winton as an invisible air steward. No need for a full cast with this man, he can provide the lot.
Les Dawson - Flying High is a love letter to a comedian's comedian and a national treasure. That Culshaw and Whitnall have delivered it with Dawson's class and talent intact is the greatest tribute I can pay. A must see show.
She's the Nanny with something extra. Yes, the loveable Scottish home help is back having captivated Broadway, and is now in Manchester with a London transfer expected to be announced soon. It is always encouraging to see a full house, and Mrs. Doubtfire has been packing them in at the Opera House for its month long engagement. Based of course on the 1993 movie which gave the late Robin Williams one of his most memorable screen roles.
For those that are unaware, the plot revolves around failed actor and house-husband Daniel Hillard, whose unpredictable behaviour results in his wife Miranda divorcing him. With the Court refusing to give him visiting rights until he proves he can hold down a stable job and provide for his three children, he invents an alter ego who applies for the role of nanny in order to see his kids. An elderly Scottish lady by the name of Mrs. Doubtfire.
The much loved movie has been adapted for the stage by John O'Farrell with music and lyrics by brothers Wayne and Karey Kirkpatrick, whose Shakespeare musical Something Rotten! is slated to arrive in the UK soon. Together they have managed to pluck out some of the best material from the movie and wrap it with a whole load of musical theatre sparkle to produce the feel good show of the season.
Gabriel Vick as Mrs. Doubtfire
Central to the show is of course the playing of Daniel / Doubtfire. This show is blessed with a tour de force performance by Gabriel Vick, whose comedic skills are the very centre of the show. With fantasy and reality blurring Daniel has to rapidly become Doubtfire and then back again, the quick changes and pace of Vick's performance is wonderful to behold. He has the audience spell bound, his Doubtfire is part homage to Williams original creation and part Vick's own take on the character. He certainly manages to replicate Williams creative energy. But lest this should sound like a one-man show, Vick is supported by Laura Tebbutt as Daniel's long suffering ex-wife and her impassioned solo ballad 'Let Go' is among the evenings musical highlights. On the night I attended Amy Everett played the role of the eldest sibling Lydia, with great verve. Fred Wilcox and Darvey Dean completed the young family as Christopher and Natalie respectively. Further comedy comes from Cameron Blakely as Daniel's gay brother Frank and his husband Andre (Marcus Collins), both add to the wonderful chaotic farce that unfolds as Daniel's subterfuge spirals out of control.
Legendary Broadway director Jerry Zaks has made sure Doubtfire has crossed the Atlantic retaining its quality and pace. The songs are all solid show tunes that have your foot tapping from the Donna Summer-esque 'Make Me A Woman', the frenzied 'You've Been Playing With Fire' (Riverdancing Doubtfires?) and the jaunty finale 'As Long As There Is Love', its an impressive score to add to the high comedy that is the focal point of the evening.
Manchester Opera House has been the first to stage Bat Out Of Hell, & Juliet and Back To The Future, all of which have gone on to thrill the West End and Broadway. Now, they have imported Mrs.Doubtfire from the US and it looks as if they have yet another winner of its hands. The standing ovation was heartfelt as the company took their bows. It is my opinion that Mrs. Doubtfire is here to stay for a while, dearies.
If you, like me, were around in the early 1980s, you cannot say the word 'fame' without adding "I'm gonna live forever..." The seminal performing arts movie Fame, directed by Alan Parker in 1980 begat the spin-off TV series which began in 1982. This in itself spawned a pop sensation with the TV cast going under the collective title 'The Kids From Fame'. For a couple of years, 'The Kids From Fame' were sensations, hit singles and LPs followed, as well as hysteria fuelled concert tours of Europe by the cast. Fame-mania seemed unstoppable. The BBC broadcast one of the concerts from the Royal Albert Hall. A debut LP soundtrack shot to number one in the album charts, thus cementing the pupils and staff of the New York High School Of Performing Arts in the British public consciousness.
Fame on tour 1983. Bruno, Gene, Debbie, Carlo, Lori
Like many fads and fashions, the momentum couldn't be maintained. The BBC showed only four of the six seasons, with the curtain finally coming down on the series in the US in 1987. But Fame was a sleeping giant. The energy and sheer infectious joy of its songs and stories of empowerment through the performing arts continued to inspire a devoted band of fans, whose rose tinted specs has kept the flame of Fame alive! A quick look at the superb website The Kids From Fame Archive proves that Fame cast reunions are not exactly a rare occurance, the cast have continued to get together at sporadic intervals over the past four decades to join fans in celebrating the show.
Super fan Sue Hinds had the idea of reuniting the cast again in order to raise funds for the Claire House Childrens Hospice in Liverpool. Herculean efforts on her part saw a Liverpool concert reunion in 2009 which was received with great enthusiasm. A live CD recorded in Liverpool has also been released, marking the long overdue album return for 'The Kids From Fame'.
Gene Anthony Ray and Debbie Allen in the UK, 1983
So, here we are in 2022 and we have the 40th Anniversary concerts taking place at the Town Hall in Birmingham. Sadly perhaps the two most recognisable faces of the series are not with us. Debbie Allen, who played fearsome dance instructor Lydia Grant and whose voice is heard at the start of every episode with the iconic words "Fame costs... and right here is where you start paying!" is an incredibly busy director / choreographer and not available for the UK concerts. Rather more sadly, Gene Anthony Ray alias the talented misfit Leroy Johnson, who blazed a trail with his incredible dance moves, passed away in 2003, aged just 41.
However, a core of the series veterans has been re-assembled for the Birmingham shows. And the Fame fans turned out in force at the opening of three nights. 'The Kids From Fame' are back but obviously the 'Kids' bit is no longer valid. All of tonights performers have had long and successful careers in showbiz outside of their Fame personas. They may be older, but they have lot none of their sparkle.
It is clear from the outset that the fans are up for a party and they get it from the off with a spirited 'Step Up To The Mike'. What becomes obvious is that the cast are having as good a time as the audience as the show progresses. Quite cleverly, given the performers are all now well into middle age, the show has the good fortune to have a troupe of dancers from the LIPA Academy, who don leotards and legwarmers to deliver that authentic 1980s high energy flavour to the evening. They are assisted by three very capable backing singers and a four piece band who belt out those iconic melodies in great style.
Each of the cast members have a solo chance to shine. Jesse Borrego delivers a fine 'The Other Side Of The Road'. Loretta Chandler rocks out with the movie song 'Hot Lunch Jam' and Cynthia Gibb offers a touching 'A Special Place'. P.R. Paul and Cynthia even gave us a live rendition of their new single 'Everything Works Out Just Fine'. But it is those songs we have come to know and love and have become part of the 1980s cultural fabric that get the biggest reception. Jesse stepped into Gene's shoes for 'Desdemona' and 'Life Is A Celebration' had the cast and audience in unison. Ladies of a certain age were on their feet as Carlo Imperato launched into 'Friday Night' and the silky voiced Valerie Lansburg sent us all wild donning a 'Doris Schwartz' wig as she brought the house down with 'Hi-fidelity' as if the years had never passed. Keyboard maestro Lee Curreri (Bruno Martelli in the series) was on hand all evening, whether solo, dueting with Valerie or simply accompanying the house band, he is still a remarkable talent. By the time the show reached the finale with a video tribute to the cast members no longer with us, shown as the cast performed their biggest hit 'Starmaker', we were all in Fame heaven. The songs have lost none of their nostalgic lure, and for a short time we were in a happier place where fame costs... but we were happy to pay.
These concerts are a hit on two levels. Obviously raising much needed money for a very worthy cause, and also feeding our need to feel better about the real world by taking refuge in past, happier, times. Judging by the euphoric reaction of the audience on the opening of the three nights, it is perfectly possible that Fame just might live forever!
Rob Cope
The live CD can be ordered HERE or downloaded from online music sources. A new book on the Fame phenomenon is also raising funds via Amazon
After an almost unbelievable four decades of theatre going under my belt, certain performers have crossed my path from time to time and have become ingrained in my memory. One of these most definitely is Peter Straker. At the time of writing, now 78 years old, this amazing performer has a CV of stage, television, radio and recordings second to none. Not a household name alas, he nevertheless remains a legendary figure within the industry for his versatility and longevity.
My first encounter with this talent was back in 1983 at the Forum Theatre Wythenshawe (Manchester) when I was taken on a 6th Form drama trip to see The Rocky Horror Show. Richard O'Brien's cult classic was not quite the monster it has become back then, and I had no idea what the show was about. From the moment Peter entered the auditorium draped in a long black cape and sang 'Sweet Transvestite' with glitter cascading from his hair, I was captivated by his almost panther like quality. Peter made Frank 'N' Furter a dark and dangerous figure, not the campy send up that later performers would offer, but a vicious, morally bankrupt alien rogue. His searing performance ingrained itself in my psyche. Bouncing from the maniuplative sexual predator to having us in tears with his farewell song 'I'm Going Home'. Peter is a performer who knows how to tell a story.
Peter arrived from Jamaica as a young boy with his maternal grandmother and two brothers. Part of the Windrush generation, enticed to Britain in 1955 to help re-build the country after the devastation of World War II. Straker's mother had been in England for some time, having come here to study music and eventually becoming a singer. Music was in Peter's DNA from his earliest memories but in fact Peter grew up wanting to be a dramatic actor and director, rather than a musical theatre star. However it was on a night out with friends that he was persuaded to get up and sing in a pub, and Peter hasn't stopped singing since!
Having met his manager David Deyon, he started to tour the night club circuit all over the country with his singing act. A chance to audition for the new tribal rock musical Hair presented itself, the show having become a sensation in New York with its casual use of profanity and nudity. After seven auditions, Peter was finally told that one of the lead roles - Hud - would be his. The London company had to wait until the abolition of the Lord Chamberlain's Office, whom hitherto had censored such material for the stage, before the production could go ahead. In September 1969, Peter joined the original London cast - among them Paul Nicholas, Oliver Tobias, Elaine Paige and Tim Curry - at the Shaftesbury Theatre for the opening of Hair, the hippy musical becoming an even bigger hit than the New York production. It would run at the Shaftesbury until 1973.
"It was one of the first things I'd ever done. I wanted
to be an actor. I happened to work with one of the great directors at
that time called Tom O'Horgan. We rehearsed for nearly three months. I
got to learn so much as a young person about the theatre, about what I
wanted to do and what I didn't want to do. I am still good friends
with a lot of people who were in this production, like Paul Nicholas,
Elaine Paige, Oliver Tobias and Sonja Kristina (Curved Air). And I was
lucky enough to perform it later on, in 1970, in Bergen, Norway. They
didn't have enough black people in Norway at that time (laughs)."
Even before Hair had opened at the Shaftesbury Theatre, he had signed to the Polydor record label and issued his first single 'Breakfast In Bed'. There was also a version of the Jacques Brel number 'Carousel' which would signal a lifelong love of the composer's work for Straker. There followed a spate of singles, none of which bothered the UK charts save for 1972's 'The Spirit Is Willing' which had a brief brush with the Top 40. Peter was paired with the successful song writing partnership of Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley and together they wrote and issued Peter's debut solo album, 'Privates Parts' for the RCA label. The album was semi-autobiographical with Peter suggesting moments from his own upbringing and life to Howard and Blaikley to inspire their song writing. Although well received, it was not a sales success, however the track 'Evensong' was later immortalised in an instrumental version as the theme for the BBC's hugely successful Miss Marple series in the 1980s. More singles followed including a version of 'Toucha-Toucha-Touch Me' from The Rocky Horror Show, all quality recordings showcasing Peter's incredible vocal range.
Of course further theatre work beckoned which included the play A Taste Of Honey at the Young Vic, Hair in Norway, an ecological musical Mother Earth at the Roundhouse (from which Peter's single 'Sail On Sweet Universe' was taken) and Pilgrim - a musical take on The Pilgrim's Progress with music by Carl Davis.
In 1971 Peter (billed simply as 'Straker') accepted the role of Jo Delaney in the movie GirlStroke Boy, a feature which has now achieved cult status with Peter playing the new 'friend' of a boy who takes 'them' to meet his parents. Directed by Bob Kellett from a script by Ned Sherrin and Caryl Brahms, the gender fluid theme of the piece is now considered a groundbreaking piece of cinema.
Amid a flurry of theatre and cabaret work, Peter returned to the recording studio in 1977 for an album 'This One's On Me' produced by Roy Thomas Baker and Freddie Mercury. It was critically well received and included the single 'Ragtime Piano Joe' which became a hit in Europe and more of Straker's obsession with the work of Jacques Brel, a single 'Jackie'. There followed two further albums 'Changeling' in 1978 and 'Real Natural Man' in 1980 from which the single 'Late Night Taxi Dancer' became a big favourite with influential DJ Kenny Everett. This renewed interest in Peter's voice led to a top of the bill concert tour which ended with a show at the New London Theatre. The ITV network broadcast half an hour of Peter's concert nationwide as part of their 'In Concert' series.
For a long time Peter's albums of the late 1970s remained collectable items, but in 2020 the Cherry Red label issued a deluxe box set of all three albums on CD and digital download which brought them to public attention once again.
"I became very disillusioned with the record industry. Looking back, it
is very difficult to know how it works but I was never in fashion. You
couldn’t get people to play the stuff. At the beginning I thought it
doesn’t matter who plays it or if anyone plays it, but, of course, it
does matter because what’s the point in having something out if no one
listens to it at all? Whether or not things have changed, I don’t know. I
don’t know if anyone will play these now, but I am putting it out again
in the hope that there might be a different generation who might say
“That’s great” or maybe “That’s dreadful” (Laughs), but at least they
will have had a chance to listen to it."
Peter even found time to appear opposite Tom Baker as Doctor Who battling Daleks and their creator Davros as Movellan Commander Sharrel in a classic 1979 story 'Destiny Of The Daleks'. At around the same time, Peter performed the role of 'The Narrator' in the stage version of The Who's rock opera Tommy at the Queen's Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue.
Peter is perhaps best remembered to television viewers as lothario Dev in Central Television's hard hitting look at the Midlands fashion industry, Connie in which he co-starred with Stephanie Beacham, Pam Ferris and George Costigan. Although only one series was made, it is still considered a fine example of 1980s excess, with its bitchy power women and bed hopping antics.
Among Peter's best known theatre roles has been as The Phantom in Ken Hill's The Phantomof the Opera which has toured the UK, had a season at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London and played Japan, where it was recorded for TV broadcast. Peter recorded a cast album of the show too.
"One of my favorite roles was Lucio in Measure For Measure (1981) at the National Theatre. I like Shakespeare. When it comes to musicals (it) is difficult. Apart from Hair, which is one of the most exciting things I ever done, it's Kenny Hill's original Phantom Of The Opera
(1984). I played the original Phantom. This was a completely different
version to the one by Andrew Lloyd Webber. That was the first time it
was ever done. We toured England, Japan and the Far East. It was great
to play that role of the Phantom. I also liked my role in Pete
Townshend's Tommy. In 1979, I played 'The Narrator.' Three years ago, I played in another Tommy production (in) the role of 'the Acid Queen.' Pete Townshend wrote a new song for me."
Perhaps my personal favourite theatre role of Peter's isin Jeanne The Musical by Shirlie Roden, a rock opera about the life and death of Joan of Arc, in which Peter played the terrifying prosecutor Bishop Pierre Cauchon at Jeanne's trial. Peter appeared in Birmingham (1985) and Sadler's Well's (1986) and has more recently reprised the role at the Turbine Theatre (2022). The original demo recordings with Peter singing Cauchon were eventually released by Stage Door Records in 2015. A further blog on this show can be read HERE.
A lengthy break from the recording industry (save for an album of covers in 1993 going under the title of 'Holding On') ended when a studio album and live DVD 'Peter Straker's Brel' was released in 2013. Peter has continued to champion the work of Jacques Brel from the very begining of his career with the 1970s singles, it seemed only fitting that a full show was created to allow him to interpret the catalogue of the Belgian composer as only Peter can. A huge success at the Edinburgh Festival and London, it remains a favourite project with Straker and one he likes to re-visit from time to time. I have only touched on Peter's theatre credits, the list is a long one: Blues In The Night, Give The Gaffers Time To LoveYou at the Royal Court (co-starring once again with Tim Curry), the title role in The Wiz, Hot Stuff The Musical, Nosferatu The Vampire, Sondheim's Assassins... I could go on and on.
If you Google the name Peter Straker, chances are the search engines will point you to numerous articles on Peter's friendship with Freddie Mercury. Whilst Mercury should always be honoured for his contribution to rock, it seems a shame that Straker is underated as an entertainer himself. There is no pigeon hole you can put Straker in. He is a classical actor. He is a pop star. He is a musical theatre actor. He is a cabaret performer. He is a television actor. He is an activist. He is simply Peter Straker. No genre is capable of holding such a unique and talented performer. With rumours of another album on the way, there is no stopping this force of nature as he approaches Octogenrian status. I count myself lucky to have seen a handful of his roles in his rich career. Long may Straker continue to amaze and thrill us.
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