With jukebox musicals plundering the back catalogues of artistes from the 1950s onwards, it was only a matter of time before the all-American 1970s phenomenon of The Osmonds would come under the spotlight. The Mormon superstars climbed high, had a wobble but remained smiling. Its a rock 'n' roll fairy story.
This musical has the added advantage of a view from the inside. The story is provided by non-other than Jay Osmond himself, drummer with The Osmonds and sixth son of that infinite showbiz family. A piggy in the middle in every sense.
The young Osmond brothers - Merrill, Alan, Jay, Wayne - big break came on the Andy Williams Show for NBC in 1962 where their cute harmonies and barbershop image brought them much acclaim from middle America. Driven by a father who drummed them like a military academy (and a mother who was quite passive in events if this version is to be believed) they were trained (or bullied depending on your viewpoint) into perfect harmonies, perfect smiles and a less than perfect childhood. Faith, family and career in that order was the family mantra. Seemingly driven to reach ever higher with their talents father George was admired and feared in equal amounts. But reach them they did, and a change to rock and roll brought the family a new and entirely ectstatic audience, and Osmond-mania was born. By this time younger brothers Donny and Jimmy had gotten in on the act, not to mention sister Marie, whose country tinge brought her a whole heap of fans too.
And as the 1970s got underway so did the Osmonds hit machine. And what hits they were: Down By The Lazy River, The Proud One, Goin' Home, One Bad Apple, Yo-Yo... the list goes on and on. And this is the strength of the show, those infuriatingly catchy melodies performed expertly by a hit squad cast.
Alex Lodge as Jay steers the show expertly with his narration, his big smile and rapport with the audience proving the perfect foil for the rags to riches tale. He is matched by some wonderful talents portraying the brothers: Ryan Anderson's conflicted Merrill, Jamie Chatterton's overbearing Alan, Danny Nattras' weary Wayne and Joseph Peacock's high voiced Donny are all superb. Singing, dancing up a storm and acting their socks off. These guys work their passage to the standing ovation the show received. Similarly Georgia Lennon's Marie Osmond might not get as many opportunities as the boys but when she does in Paper Roses and I'm Leaving It All Up To You she is pure Nashville. I wish I could name the younger ensemble of children who make up the early part of The Osmonds' story. The programme lists all the young performers who tour with the show, so I cannot name them but they are a powerful collection of talents in their own right, with little Jimmy's Long Haired Lover From Liverpool being something of a showstopper. Bravo to them all. A word too for Charlie Allen's George Osmond, managing to stay this side of likeable amid his questionable drilling of his young sons. A nice layered performance.
The tensions in the show come from the infighting and petty jealousies caused by a family forced to spend so much time together on the road. For my money the script needs tightening. I could easily knock off 20 minutes of the show, without affecting the quality or its narrative journey. But this tour is obviously a testing ground and doubtless tweaks will be made. Julian Bigg and Shaun Kerrison have taken Jay's story and woven it into a stage format and mostly it is on the button. Kerrison also directs with Bill Deamer's choreography helping produce the high energy, in your face musical moments that are the wow factor.
We come near to some actual drama when the family loses their $80,000,000 fortune to debt. But with big smiles and Yankie bravado we are told they toured for two years and paid every penny back. Aren't those Osmonds nice fellas? It would have been a disappointment if the show hadn't ended in schmaltz and we get it with Love Me For A Reason and He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother. But thankfully before we descend into a well of sentimentally, Crazy Horses rocks the theatre and suddenly we are back in 1972 without a care in the world. Amid the screams of middle aged ladies, we are all on our feet dancing. Its the way we want the world to be. The Osmonds musical is not subtle but then neither were The Osmonds. We loved them for a reason says the publicity and this show sure proves it.
Rob Cope for Doctor Theatre
Show tour dates can be found at theosmondsmusical.co.uk
