Warren Sollars in 20th Century Boy, currently touring the UK
20th Century Boy was reviewed at the Opera House, Manchester and continues to tour until 19 July.
This new production of 20th Century Boy – a biographical, jukebox musical dedicated to the life and career of glam rock star and T.Rex frontman Marc Bolan – is based on an original idea by Brian Dunham, Colin Giffin and Nicky Graham. The first versions had successful runs at the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich in September 2011 and the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry in September 2012. Now it returns – this time for a national tour – with the book-writing credits going to Peter Rowe in association with the show’s director and choreographer Gary Lloyd (Thriller Live, Fame).
It’s worth saying that new converts to the Bolan catalogue of hits – ‘Ride a White Swan’, ‘I Love to Boogie’, ‘Get It On’, ‘Children of the Revolution’ – as well as long-time fans of his work, will find plenty to enjoy. While Lloyd’s staging of the Bolan performances is hardly inspired, it does give the audience an opportunity to occasionally feel the freedom of being at a gig rather than a piece of theatre.
However, what lets 20th Century Boy down, at least in the early stages, are the endless scenes of exposition as Rolan Bolan (Luke Bailey) travels from the US to London to discover more about the father he never knew. For the few who don’t know, the singer/songwriter met with an untimely death at the age of 29 in a car accident in 1977.
Too many chunks of dialogue are built around chats to his grandmother Phyllis (played with passion by Sue Jenkins) and other characters that conveniently pop up to fill gaps in the narrative timeline.
However, the production is saved a little by Act II, during which the highs and lows of Bolan’s quest to be “bigger than Elvis” are still played out, but with dramatic creativity. In numbers like ‘Teenage Dream’ and ‘Dandy in the Underworld’, Rowe and Lloyd allow characters like Bolan’s wife June and his lover Gloria (two impressive performances, particularly in the vocal department, from Lucy Sinclair and Donna Hines) to comment on events through song. Also definitely worth a mention are Andy Coxon, convincing as Bolan producer Tony Visconti, and the vivacious, smooth-voiced Katia Sartini as Helen Shapiro and fashion stylist Chelita Secunda.
As Bolan, Warren Sollars gives his absolute all, despite the fact that on this occasion the audience took a while to warm up. The actor certainly captures something of the musician’s charisma, although he seems more at home performing Bolan’s string of hits rather than allowing us an insight into what made the artist tick.
Diego Pitarch’s set design heavily depends on video and projection and is limited, I imagine, by the demands of touring, but it cleverly creates the right kind of atmosphere, especially when Bolan is seen to be performing in concert.
No inhibitions were on show though during an extended encore/‘impromptu’ jamming session in which all the cast members let their hair down, a welcome boost that the audience responded to enthusiastically (credit to the ‘real’ musicians led by musical director Ryan Alex Farmery). An injection of this kind of energy at regular intervals during the action that precedes the finale would also be welcome.
The hope is that 20th Century Boy will head into the West End post its tour and will do for Bolan what the musical Buddy did for the music of Buddy Holly. For the moment, I think the jury is out as to whether this plan will come to fruition.
Lisa Martland
Readers may also be interested in:
20th Century Boy – Warren Sollars leads cast – News
www.20thcenturyboythemusical.co.uk
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