Dreamboats and Petticoats – Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
Book: Lawrence Marks and Maurice Gran
Director: Bob Thomson
Reviewer: Jim Nicholson
The Public Reviews Rating: 
Having enjoyed this early 60’s based fun musical when it first toured in 2009 I am glad to report that it is still in decent shape and well worth a toe tapping visit to catch the latest touring cast.
Back in 2009 I remember Daisy Wood-Davis, a young fresh faced actress, stealing the show with fantastic vocals in the lead female role of Laura. Well there is another youngster here destined for fame and this time it is the lead male David Ribi, who as Bobby, gives some spine tingling moments in doing great justice to the songs of great songster’s of the era such as Roy Orbison, Neil Sedaka and Sam Cooke.
The show has a very witty book by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, which is no surprise with their string of TV hit comedies over the past 30 years. They make great play of the “fitted” character names to lead us into a host a great 60’s songs such as Bobby’s Girl, Tell Laura I Love Her, Donna and Runaround Sue. But much of the comedy is within these corny links and they manage to get us ably through well over 40 different numbers with many a groan and plenty of titter.
St Mungo’s Youth Club is the setting with the club band at the fore and Bobby and Norman (Ben James-Ellis) going head to head for the lead vocals. Whilst prim and proper Bobby is in his school blazer, super cool Norman is the leather clad Elvis look alike who all the girls swoon over.
Laura the 15 year old school swat is not match for man eating Sue (Robyn Mellor) who has the attentions of all the men, including the two leads. There is plenty of fun and canoodling as a national youth club’s song writing competition means there are chalk and cheese match ups before the true course of love finally finds the right pairings.
The set, by Dean Cavanaugh, relies on pushed on room changes and simple drop down fun fair/party signs. Carole Todd has matched the choreography well to the dance halls of the period whilst Brigid Guy, along with Cavanaugh, has captured the fashion sense of UK 61 to a tee.
Youth leader and Bobby’s dad Phil, played by the superbly melodic, Terry Winstanley gets many of the best lines including great comments about borrowing money, bankers and soaps that really home in to the audience how very different our views today are from those held some 50 years ago.
Samantha Dorrance, as Laura, plays the role with great innocence and sings well with a slight Sarah Brightman look about her. Her brother Ray, Dan O’Brien is also of very decent voice and looks like another name with a bright future. The merriment of the night though is best of all captured by Anna Campkin, who as quick witted neck vampire Donna, has a great comedic stage presence and the facial expressions to help get the very best out of what is a very clever script.
Runs until 18th February
Tags: 2012, Anna Campkin, Ben James-Ellis, Bob Thomson, Brigid Guy, Carole Todd, Daisy Wood-Davis, Dan O’Brien, David Ribi, Dreamboats and Petticoats, Gavin Barnes, Laurence Marks, Maurice Gran, mayflower theatre, Musical, Neil Sedaka, Robyn Mellor, Roy Orbison, Sam Cooke, Samantha Dorrance, Sarah Brightman, Sean Cavanaugh, Southampton, Terry Winstanley
