“the first half lacked the sense of fun and direction that the second half successfully delivered”
Having gone through the majority of my life knowing nothing of Bananaman, I was intrigued to learn more about this parody of a superhero and more importantly how a musical could be written about him.
For the uninitiated he was introduced in February 1980 on the back cover of Nutty, a new DC Thompson produced comic. He was portrayed as a hero with the ‘muscles of twenty men though with the brains of twenty mussels’. Following the success of his comic book appearances a TV cartoon was commissioned featuring the high profile voices of The Goodies. The series finished in 1986 but today visitors to Beano.com can indulge themselves in trivia and the original videos. Bananaman continues to be a popular figure in Beano.
Leon Parris has taken the original storyline and written the book, music and lyrics to this entertaining, yet bonkers production. Mark Perry directs what seems to be a cross between pantomime and a Footlights comedy show. Designer Mike Leopold has made the most of the Playhouse Large’s open space with a two level set surrounded by blown up Beano images. The atmosphere is cemented by TV theme tunes playing as the audience enters.
The story explores Bananaman’s origins when weedy Eric Wimp gains super powers which in turn leads to a series of often comical misadventures along the way with (a talking) Crow, love interest Fiona and the bumbling Chief O’Reilly whilst all the time having to endure the awful food prepared by his loving mother. It’s a classic good over evil storyline with our hero attempting to defeat the villains Dr Gloom, General Blight and the Mad Magician.
A fine cast has been assembled to get hold of the content and on my visit they brought laughter and cheer to a very responsive audience who rewarded the hard working team with a standing ovation.
Mark Newnham (from All or Nothing and Sunny Afternoon) has a great voice and plays the part of Eric Wimp well and Emma Ralston is a terrific Fiona Mullins. Jodie Jacobs takes on the role of Crow bringing her strong singing voice to the fore whilst carrying out the difficult job of being the ventriloquist making Crow come to life. TJ Lloyd is a very funny Chief O’Reilly and Matthew McKenna is everything you’d want the square jawed and muscled Bananaman to be.
Standout performances come from Marc Pickering as Dr Gloom and Carl Mullaney as the camp General Blight. Pickering is quite amazing and worth the price of the ticket alone.
Disappointingly I found the sound to be rather muddled and often overpowered the singers to such an extent that at times it was difficult to hear the words that were being sung. The lighting was basic yet reasonably effective.
Whilst I enjoyed the show I felt that the first half lacked the sense of fun and direction that the second half successfully delivered. I’m sure many Bananaman fans will fall in love with this production, though others may find it just a little too puerile to be really enjoyable and worthy of another star.
Classic Broadway Musical Revival Returns to London
How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying
8-22 April 2017
Today WILTON’S MUSIC HALL announces a revival of the award-winning, critically-acclaimed Broadway musical comedy How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, opening for a limited run from 08 April. The amusing tale, which first debuted on Broadway in 1961, charts the journey of J. Pierrepont Finch as he joins the World Wide Wicket Company, climbing his way to the top in New York City, 1950.
All Finch wants is to be more successful, to get ahead, to change the world for the better – is that really so difficult? Luckily Finch has a copy of the book ‘How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying’, teaching him everything he needs to know about the science of success. This anarchic, musical romp is jam-packed with sharp humour and has its tongue placed firmly in its cheek as it follows Finch’s rise from lowly window cleaner to Chairman of the board.
Last seen in London over 50 years ago, Wilton’s Music Hall provides the perfect backdrop for this long-awaited revival where business and pleasure collide in the most uproarious of ways. Boasting an addictive score by Guys and Dolls composer Frank Loesser, this Pulitzer Prize-winning show includes famous numbers such as I Believe In You, Brotherhood of Man and Happy To Keep His Dinner Warm.
MARC PICKERING (Les Misérables, Calendar Girls, Sleepy Hollow) will lead the production playing the aspiring and playful businessman J. Pierrepont Finch with HANNAH GROVER playing his love interest Rosemary. LIZZII HILLS will play the big boss’s secret mistress Hedy LaRue while GERI ALLEN will play Rosemary’s best friend Smitty. There will be further cast announcements in the coming weeks.
This classic Broadway musical production will be directed by BENJI SPERRING, the man behind recent London hits Toxic Avenger and Shock Treatment and will be presented by NICHOLAS THOMPSON PRODUCTIONS and TARQUIN PRODUCTIONS in association with the King’s Head Theatre.
Book by ABE BURROWS, JACK WEINSTOCK and WILLIE GILBERT//Music and Lyrics by FRANK LOESSER//Based upon the book by SHEPHERD MEAD//Originally presented by CY FEUER and ERNEST H. MARTIN in association with FRANK PRODUCTIONS//Performed by arrangement with MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL (EUROPE) LTD.
