Sex & Docks & Rock ‘n’ Roll – The Seven Arts Theatre, Leeds

Music & lyrics: Boff Whalley

Director: Rod Dixon

Reviewer: Nicola Harrison

The Public Reviews Rating:

‘Just ignore the party leaders, With all their dirty fingers in the pie.’

This musical comedy, brought to us by the Red Ladder touring theatre company is on tour from 22nd November to 22nd December 2010. Red Ladder has been producing entertaining and challenging theatre for over forty years. In order not to miss out on this fantastic farcical presentation of 60′s Liverpool, I recommend you visit the website www.redladder.co.uk if there is not the opportunity to attend this venue.

What could be more entertaining than being presented with a disfunctional family, whose quirks are on par with the characters in the sitcom, The Royal Family, accompanied by pantomime style comedy and rocking and a rolling musical numbers in the comfort of your own living room? In the intimate venue of the the Seven Arts Theatre, this family theme starts as we are drawn into their world from the outset as dad (Dean Nolan) tells the audience to carry on talking amongst ourselves as ‘it hasn’t started yet!’ ‘Not till the music track ends…’ and it is from here that the story begins.

Set in 1960′s Liverpool, ‘Sex & Docks & Rock ‘n’ Roll’ explores many themes and emotions. Fuelled by music, laughter, battles and untruths, the McDermott family find themselves caught up in a strike to free Paddy Neary, a seaman imprisoned at Brixton for leading a dispute. The action is brought alive by the cocktail of characters, from dad, Ronnie (Dean Nolan) a loveable couch potato, mum, Jean (Lisa Howard), feisty, a bit rough round the edges and eternal slave to her husband’s demands, Jack the son (Nigel Lister) who aspires to be like Elvis, Mona, Jean’s friend (Kyla Goodey) who is in permanent ‘mourning’ from unrequited love and her son, Barry (Harry Haymer) who seems to be two pence short of a pound!

The set and staging for this production were typically apt, without the intension of trying to be pretentious. The costumes, designed by Ali Allen were authentic and comical and hightened the humour in every scene.

The cast all deliver outstanding performances. The playful banter and ad-libbing which allows the audience to be a part of the action brings immediate appeal. It is of particular note that the entire musical hangs together by the expertise of the musicians. Adam Smith’s (Arthur) outstanding pianistic skills gave class to this very fine musical comedy, not to mention Barry’s renditions on the ukelele ((Harry Harmer) and Jack’s (Nigel Lister) guitar accompaniment.

If slap-stick humour is not your cup of tea, it is without fail that by the end of the performance you will be foot-tapping and singing your way home as Boff Whalley from Chumbawamba allows us to indulge in some political satire and bring the 60′s back to us in a comical yet fantastically real way. Cleverly scripted and musically arranged. A necessary viewing.