(Bill Kenwright Productions)
Bill Kenwright produced and directed this excellent
production and was also responsible for the very odd casting of 79 year old Tommy
Steele in the eponymous role of a man who never made it past 40. There is no
denying that Steele is a wonderful showman but it just doesn’t make any sense.
Steele begins as narrator of the story, which is ideal and then starts playing
Miller as a man in his late twenties, which is confusing at best and disturbing
at worst. Miller’s romantic involvement with the love of his life, Helen, is a
major part of the show and the scenes with the much younger performer were
uncomfortable to watch and more reminiscent of Hugh Hefner than Glen Miller.
Kenwright knows how to make money, without question, and it was clear that over
half of the audience was made up of Tommy Steele fans, enthusing over his
performance, and that equates to ticket sales. Without him, the show may well
have closed by now but surely the script could have been adapted to use him in
a more appropriate way. As it is, it is unclear whether this is the Glen Miller
Story or the Tommy Steele Show.
Having said that, the show itself is top notch and deserving
of much praise. The 16 piece orchestra, led by MD Richard Morris, is
phenomenal, producing the most delicious sounds of a bygone age. Helen Tsingos
visually recreates the era brilliantly with her costumes that add vibrancy to a very
simple set design. Olivier Award
winning, Bill Deamer, provides delightful choreography, expertly executed by six
dancers, who provide superb, close part harmony throughout too. Ashley Knight plays Miller’s pal Chummy MacGregor with style
and flair and Abigail Jaye is stunning as Miller’s muse and wife, Helen. The
whole cast are amazing and handle the peculiar lead casting extremely well.
Fans of Tommy Steele will absolutely love this. Fans of
swing and big band will adore this. Fans of musical theatre will most likely be
too confused to know how they feel about it.
3 stars
