Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story – Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury and Touring

Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story continues at the Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury until 13 May 2023 and then tours until 14 October 2023.

Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩

Buddy – the Buddy Holly Story recalls the whirlwind journey of Buddy Holly and his band as they quickly rose to worldwide fame from their humble beginnings. This jukebox musical includes all of Buddy’s famous songs from ‘Peggy Sue’ to ‘Everyday’, as well as other popular rock ‘n’ roll hits like the Big Bopper’s ‘Chantilly Lace’ and Ritchie Valens ‘La Bamba’.

The talented cast, led by Christopher Weeks as Buddy, act, sing and play their instruments live on stage. If you’re a fan of Holly’s songs or 1950s music in general, then this is the show for you. Weeks perfectly mimics Holly’s voice and antics and the supporting roles, such as Miguel Angel as the enigmatic Valens, make for an enjoyable watch. Audience members less accustomed with the material could well be surprised by how many songs they recognise. At the very least, by the end of the show, you’ll be tapping your feet, if not singing and clapping along.

Although the cast performs well, the weak storyline lets the show down. I was hoping to leave the show more educated about Holly’s background, but unfortunately my knowledge is just as sparse as it was beforehand. The show begins when Holly is already on the cusp of stardom, so doesn’t detail much about his life previous to becoming a singer and what influenced him to follow this path. The plot is then rushed at poignant and dramatic moments in his life, such as his marriage and tragic death. The show instead focuses on drier scenes, such as recording in the studio and backstage at gigs, which is fine if all you want from the show is to hear his music – but for me, I was hoping for more substance and storytelling.

The set is simple and remains the same throughout much of the show, with scene changes marked by props. The cast also looks the part with costumes that match the era, including sharp suits and swing dresses. Among the musicians I was particularly impressed by ensemble members Stephanie Cremona and Daniella Agredo Piper who played the saxophone during the last scene. However, overall, the show was a little disappointing and wouldn’t be one that I’d rush to see again. An entertaining night, but better suited to Buddy Holly enthusiasts.

Hannah Grimmette