★★★

“A rainbow of colourful characters with whom we are able to have tremendous fun”

There is a moment in the second act of “Shout! The Mod Musical” when the ensemble cast come together for a rendition of Mary Hopkin’s ‘Those Were the Days’. Shrouded in poignancy, it is quite a moving moment. A mid-tempo number reflecting mid-life melancholy. The only problem, however, is that we are wondering what those days were. There is very little to look back on, such is the shallowness of Phillip George and Davis Lowenstein’s book. Mind you, there’s little room for one amidst the relentless procession of sixties hit songs. More of a musical revue than a musical. And, viewed as such, it is, in fact, multi-coloured, musical magic. The five performers burst with a kind of tutti-frutti charisma, sharing out the songs between them like kids in a candy store, or an eat-all-you-can buffet of mouth-watering harmonies.

We’re in the swinging sixties, with set and costume (uncredited) that place us in something resembling an early Top of the Pops studio. Along with James Davies’ wig and hair design, the authenticity of the period is fully created, aided further by musical director Gabrielle Ball’s no-frills, sample-free, three-piece band. The girls (we can call them that – it is the sixties) all possess an abundance of energy and singing talent that drives the show at speed through the overflowing repertoire. We are in a living jukebox, where the music is interrupted by a series of short, rather lame, comedy sketches. The premise is intriguing though. Throughout the story, the five characters send letters to Gwendolyn Holmes (voiced by Pippa Winslow), an agony aunt who works for the fictitious style magazine ‘Shout!’. They are invariably disappointed by the useless advice they are given to deal with their situations (for ‘situations’ read ‘love life’). They are nameless, identified only by the colour that they wear. Red Girl (Isabella Mason) is the ingenue of the group who has self-image issues while Orange Girl (Lauren Bimson) is the matriarchal figure struggling to cope with a philandering husband. Yellow Girl (Gabrielle Cummins) has come from across the pond, laden with her cargo of self-confidence and romantic memories. Green Girl (Lauren Allan) is the sex maniac (we can say that – it is the sixties), uninhibited, racy and full of seaside town postcard humour. Blue Girl (Madeleine Doody) is the sophisticate; well-heeled and gorgeous – and she knows it, although we later learn that there is something quite specific that she is unsure of.

A rainbow of colourful characters with whom we are able to have tremendous fun, even if there is no pot of gold at the end. There is little in the way of an arc too, so director Joseph Hodges, with choreographer Jay Gardner, rightly focus on the songs, creating a seamless medley of delight and joy. The likes of Burt Bacharach, Tony Hatch, Sandie Shaw, Neil Sedaka – and many others – are all showcased. Even John Barry, during a lovely Bond pastiche where ‘Goldfinger’ is renamed ‘Coldfinger’. True to its ensemble nature, none of the cast outshine each other, yet they all shine individually and collectively. The chemistry is there but unfortunately the script prohibits any real onstage connection. But the singers easily bypass such quibbles with their strong connection to the audience.

Yes, this show is dated. That is the whole point. At one point a rather clumsy and incongruous use of placards attempts to shoehorn in a hint of twenty-first century credo, but the show doesn’t necessarily need it. This is a musical comedy, and the irony should speak for itself. What is clear, though, is that the music not only speaks for itself. It Shouts! So go ‘Downtown’ and forget all your troubles, forget all your cares. If nothing else, it will make you feel ‘aaaaalllllright!’

QUADROPHENIA, A MOD BALLET

Sadler’s Wells Theatre

★★★★★

“A truly triumphant interpretation – poignant and powerful.”

When Pete Townshend wrote the rock opera “Quadrophenia”, released back in 1973, he felt that The Who, as a band, was ‘lost’ and that the whole process of recording the double album ‘helped us find our way’ (his words). The central character is partly a reflection of this, but also a brilliant description – and representation – of the mid 1960s as seen through the eyes of a young man searching for meaning in a world filled with disillusionment. It has become a rock opera, a film and a classical opera. Now, as a ballet over half a century later, it maintains its relevance without the slightest hint of modernising it aesthetically or culturally. We are fully immersed, not just in pure nostalgia, but also the sheer beauty of the performances, the backdrop and the cinematic orchestral arrangements of the music.

Opening with crashing waves against a solitary rock, we see Jimmy alone on the outcrop, swiftly joined by his four personalities who move like the waves – like sirens luring him into the waters below. But Jimmy chooses the route back to his dissatisfied life. Paris Fitzpatrick is extraordinary as the young mod, Jimmy, barely away from the vast stage for a second, leading us and the other dancers through the tempestuous twists of his journey. The performers need little guidance, however. Each one is a leader in their own right: the Tough Guy, the Romantic or the Hypocrite; the Godfather, the Ace Face, the Mod Girl, the Rocker. Or the shell-shocked parent. Directed by Rob Ashford, every step is meticulously clear while Yeastculture.org’s panoramic video projections seamlessly carry us from place to place on Christopher Oram’s simple yet fluid set.

Steeped in symbolism, the emotional impact is compelling. We are constantly distracted from intellectual appreciation. The characterisation is as integral as the virtuosity of the dancers. When Fitzpatrick’s Jimmy meets his childhood friend (Euan Garrett), now a Rocker, the couple’s inner conflicts are vividly evoked in every movement. Paul Roberts’ choreography throughout is at once original and recognisable, athletic and intimate, violent and tender. It refuses categorisation; ballet moves swaying into jazz, contemporary, a touch of street. The impurity is vital to Roberts’ telling of the story. Jimmy’s parents, and his relationship with them, only need a few dance steps to give us the full picture. Stuart Neal and Kate Tydman – as the father and mother – attract and repel in gorgeous tarantellas, erotic and violent, bleeding into the Father’s traumatic memories of WWII (a disturbing yet perfectly glorious ensemble routine).

And, of course, we have the love interest: Serena McCall’s Mod Girl, sassy and sexy, moving within and without the yearning reach of our ‘quadrophenic’ protagonist. The charismatic rival, the Ace Face, is a constant threat – a swaggering and commanding Dan Baines, while Matthew Ball’s rock star figure, the Godfather, is a stark reminder to Jimmy never to meet your idol. A self-deprecating moment deliberately referencing The Who’s status in the seventies that has survived intact to the present day. This attention to detail surfaces in waves of nostalgia, that some may not fully appreciate. You have to be a true Londoner to feel the full dewy-eyed force of designer Oram’s recreation of Soho’s ‘New Piccadilly Café’. Authenticity is a keyword here, which is certainly amplified by Paul Smith’s sharp costumes.

The driving force is the music, orchestrated by Rachel Fuller (and Martin Batchelar). Faithful to Townshend’s original rock numbers, Fuller has scored the music for a full symphony orchestra. The electric rock rhythms of guitars and bass occasionally burst through, but elsewhere the vocal melodies and guitar solos are searing violins, aching cellos, rich double-basses or horn sections. Entirely instrumental, you can still at times hear Roger Daltrey’s voice surfing the multi-layered melody lines. Like the dancing, it is grand but far from precious. With both you could just as easily be in the Albert Hall or the sweaty dark of Wardour Street’s Marquee Club. Another landmark sadly gone. “Quadrophenia” harks back to another time that some say is long dead, but this ballet drags it alive and kicking into the present. It resonates unmistakably without any concession to the twenty-first century. It doesn’t need it. The essence is all there – in the dance and in the music.

When ‘Quadrophenia’ was first released, Pete Townshend probably had no idea of its legacy. Although he has since stated that The Who ‘never recorded anything so ambitious or audacious again’. “Quadrophenia: A Mod Ballet” is just as (maybe even more so) ambitious and audacious, even by today’s standards. A truly triumphant interpretation – poignant and powerful.

SHOUT! THE MOD MUSICAL

Upstairs at the Gatehouse

★★★

“A rainbow of colourful characters with whom we are able to have tremendous fun”

SHOUT! THE MOD MUSICAL

Upstairs at the Gatehouse

Reviewed on 27th June 2025

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Zac Cooke

Last ten show reviewed at this venue:

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QUADROPHENIA, A MOD BALLET

Sadler’s Wells Theatre

★★★★★

“A truly triumphant interpretation – poignant and powerful.”