Twist and Turn – The Musical at The Other Palace Studio Theatre, London.
Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩
Effusing not so much the smell of the greasepaint, but just grease and the roar of a leather-jacketed crowd, this musical, based around the annual famous Isle of Man TT (Tourist Trophy) motorcycle race fortnight is a brave creative project which runs pretty smoothly for the most part, but stalls on more than a few occasions.
A bit like trying to win the TT on a moped, it seems like an uphill battle against the odds, but the production gets off the creative starting grid with a thunderously good opening number, ‘Winners’, sung with passion and vocal grit by Simon Gordon as Robbie Skelton, the returning Manxman made good as World Superbike Champion and made guest of honour by local dignitary and love rat, Gordon (Christopher Dickins).
What Skelton’s left behind, in his quest for global two-wheeled fame, are some bitter memories, a smoldering family feud and more than a few regrets.
The quality of the soundtrack comes as no surprise, given that words and music for several songs featured are by Graeme Duffin who has been playing guitar and writing songs professionally for 40 years, over 30 of them as the ‘fifth’ member of Scottish band Wet Wet Wet.
While the show’s strength is its songs, Duffin, Tony Gibbs (producer, composer and writer), Esther and Tim O’ Connor all jointly creating the musical content, its weakness is the script which at times is as clunky as the gearbox on a Triumph Trident.
On the plus side, there’s a lovely performance from Tom Berkeley as the nerdy but nice guitar strumming Bernie, while as the mousey, trivial fact ‘anorak’ Statto, Scarlet Wilderink’s cameos are amusing throughout.
If anything, given her build-up as all-round eccentric, recluse and genius motorcycle mechanic, Annie (Jane Milligan) looks disappointingly normal at first appearance and certainly her characterisation could up the crazy ante for more effect.
When Robbie’s sister, Charlotte (Charlie), played by Georgina Castle decides to don her leathers and muscle in on the action, taking part in a race, you fear for the authenticity of the moment as friends and family watch on, it being impossible to truly convey the tension, stress and courage of motorcycle racing to a small stage.
As tempted, as I was – being surely the only reviewer present who has ridden a bike around the TT circuit – to close my eyes at this point, the cast (and soundtrack) does an admirable job of replicating the moment.
As a ‘showcase’ (aka work in progress) over just two nights at The Other Palace, like any motorcycle pre-TT, this needs a lot of tweaking and fine-tuning before it’s going to be ready for a bigger stage. Songs like ‘Way Back When’, ‘Should I Stay?’ and title tune, ‘Twist and Turn’, make for a solid musical spine and it has the advantage of a spirited, young and talented cast while more experienced hands help steady the ship.
For some periods the show’s narrative is as flat as a punctured Michelin tyre, but when the ensemble bursts into song, this production goes up a notch.
Derek Smith
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