Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story isn’t just a bio-musical; it’s a bolt of pure, unadulterated rock ‘n’ roll energy that transforms the entire audience from passive theatregoers into a cheering concert crowd.
From the opening scene, the show does a great job of setting the stakes. We meet a teenage Buddy Holly in Lubbock, Texas, frustrating his traditional country-and-western record producers by sneaking heavy backbeats and electric guitar riffs into their radio station. You instantly root for him.
The actor portraying Buddy captures that perfect, paradoxical mix of awkward, lanky youthfulness and absolute, unshakable musical confidence. When he adjusts his trademark horn-rimmed glasses and leans into the microphone, the transformation is compelling.
The musical follows the rise of Buddy Holly from a young musician in Texas to an international star whose influence on modern music remains enormous decades after his death. Even for audience members who may not know much about Holly personally, the story is easy to follow. The show does a good job of showing his short musical journey with a fabulous upbeat atmosphere and is hugely entertaining.
What truly makes this production special, however, is the music. Songs such as ‘That’ll Be the Day,’ ‘Peggy Sue,’ and ‘Everyday’ were performed with remarkable energy and authenticity. The actor portraying Buddy Holly captured both his distinctive vocal style and his awkward charm brilliantly. Rather than feeling like an impersonation, the performance felt natural and heartfelt, which made the character instantly likeable.
The live band deserves enormous praise as well. Unlike some jukebox musicals that rely heavily on spectacle, Buddy succeeds because of the quality of its musicianship. Every song sounded polished yet lively, giving the impression of a real concert unfolding on stage. The audience was thrilled, with many singing quietly along to the classics. By the final section of the show, people were clapping in rhythm and cheering after every number.
Another highlight was the staging of the Apollo Theatre performances. These scenes brought humour and excitement while also showing the cultural barriers Buddy Holly broke during his career. The interactions between the performers felt genuine and added depth to what could otherwise have been a straightforward musical biography.
But it’s the second act that elevates Buddy from a good musical to an unforgettable theatrical experience. The final section recreates the fateful Surf Ballroom concert in Clear Lake, Iowa, on February 2, 1959. For a good forty minutes, the theatrical fourth wall completely shatters. Richie Valens brings down the house with a fiery, hip-swivelling rendition of ‘La Bamba’ and The Big Bopper gets everyone shaking with ‘Chantilly Lace’. By the time Buddy takes the stage for his final set, the energy in the room was unambiguous.
The tragic irony, of course, hangs heavy over the joy. Knowing that this is the eve of ‘The Day the Music Died’ gives every upbeat lyric a poignant, bittersweet edge. When the concert ends and the stage plunges into a sudden, quiet darkness, highlighted only by a solitary spotlight on a guitar, you could hear a pin drop. The collective intake of breath from the audience was palpable.
But the show wisely refuses to let tragedy have the final word. The inevitable encore bursts forth as a celebration of immortality. Buddy Holly only had an eighteen-month career, but tonight proved his music is timeless. By the end of the night, not a single person was sitting down.
If there is one criticism, it is that some supporting characters could have been explored further. At times, the story moves quickly through important moments in Buddy Holly’s life in order to fit in more music. However, for most people attending this show, the songs are exactly what they came for, and the production certainly delivers on that front.
Overall, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story is a hugely enjoyable musical that combines nostalgia, outstanding live music, and a genuinely uplifting atmosphere. Whether you are already a fan of Buddy Holly or simply enjoy classic rock and roll, this production offers an entertaining and memorable night at the theatre. It is the kind of show that leaves audiences smiling long after the curtain falls.
It is playing the Ipswich Regent until Saturday 30th May
Le Navet Bete Theatre Touring group are back with their ridiculous storyline, chaotic energy and infectious humour. ‘Le Navet Bete’ translates to ‘The Daft Turnip’ which tells you everything you need to know about these guys: they provide a daft way to translate theatre into fantastic comedy in their own magical way
Their latest production, Oh Zeus!, isn’t just a retelling of Greek mythology; it’s a high-octane and utterly hilarious demolition of it.
The show centres on the legendary (and notoriously ego-driven) Zeus, but this isn’t the stoic, marble statue version from your history books. This Zeus is frantic, insecure, and surrounded by a cast of deities who are, to put it mildly, absolute disasters themselves. He goes to great lengths to stop the marriage of his daughter, Hebe, to the mortal Hotel Manager, Gregg. Zeus has his mind changed, and has to reach the depths of the underworld to retrieve Gregg’s soul.
What makes Le Navet Bete so special is their physicality. Did I mention there are only three performers playing 30 characters? These performers don’t just act; they collide. The choreography of swapping in and out of their multiple roles is a feat of Olympian endurance. One moment, an actor is playing a brooding Hades, and thirty seconds later, they’ve sprinted behind a pillar to emerge as a high-pitched, gossiping Hera. The sheer speed of the costume changes alone deserves a standing ovation. Plus of course, adds to much chaotic shenanigans as they almost miss their cue, or laugh at each other, or need to be two characters on stage at the same time.
Al Dunn, Matt Freeman and Nick Blunt are brilliant performers: engaging, watchable, energetic and all round funny people. They are a joy to watch.
There is audience participation for one member of the public, which, if they are game, is hilarious. The boundary of the first couple of rows is a little blurred as projectiles come from the stage, and the smoke meandering across the floor.
For a touring production, the set design is impressively versatile. What looks like a simple collection of pillars and drapes transforms into Mount Olympus, the hotel, the Underworld, and the Aegean Sea through clever lighting and sheer imagination. The number of doors, windows, and nooks & crannies allows swift movement for invisible scene changes, slapstick comedy moments, and allows the dynamic nature of the show to shine through.
Whereas you might not learn too much factual information about the Greek Gods, those that know will appreciate the nod in their direction, you will certainly enjoy the perfectly balanced humour which is packed with witty wordplay, clever puns, funny songs, and the sheer bonkers of it all.
Oh Zeus! will appeal to everyone. It is exhausting to watch in the best way possible. You leave the theatre feeling like you’ve been through a marathon, but your ribs ache from laughing rather than your legs from running. If you want a night of theatre that doesn’t take itself too seriously but is performed with serious skill, do not miss this.
If you haven’t booked your tickets yet, you’re missing the best musical in East Anglia!
Written by the brilliant Vikki Stone, Caroline is a high-octane love letter to our coastline and the rebellious spirit of the 1960s. For those who don’t know the history, the musical takes us back to 1964, a time when the BBC was ‘square’ and the youth were hungry for something louder. That itch was scratched by Radio Caroline, the legendary pirate radio station that broadcasted rock ‘n’ roll from a ship anchored right off the Essex coast.
Set in 1964 Clacton-on-Sea, the story follows Caroline (Claire Lee Shenfield), a young woman whose life is defined by the mundane routine of shelf-stacking and the restrictive ‘Housewives’ Choice’ broadcasts of the BBC. Her boyfriend, Robbie (Jake Halsey-Jones), the young, charismatic wannabe DJ provides the catalyst for change when he joins Radio Caroline.
This show successfully captures the moment when the British public decided on what music they wanted to hear. While it leans into the joy of the 60s, it never loses sight of the social friction that made the era revolutionary. It captures the magic of the first time listening to great music through the radio, the excitement which trickled through the nation but also portrays the great lengths the government went to ban pirate radio stations, and make it a criminal offence to even supply food to the ships. However, the actions, passions and desires from a few people who believed in the importance of bringing popular music to the masses did achieve what they set out to do, even when it cost them everything.
What sets this production apart from your standard musical is the sheer talent on stage. This isn’t a show where the band is hidden in a pit. The actors are the band. One minute, a performer is delivering a heart-wrenching monologue; the next, they’ve picked up a bass guitar or jumped behind a drum kit to belt out a classic hit.
The soundtrack is a non-stop parade of 60s gold, The Kinks, The Animals, and The Rolling Stones, all performed with a raw, live energy that makes the theatre feel more like a rock concert. You’ll find it impossible to keep your feet still.
The cast are amazing, they capture the energy and excitement, plus the worry of this revolutionary time, in a way that is mesmerising, practically transporting the audience back to this time. I felt I had lived through it (I am slightly too young) however, there were people in the audience who were reminiscing, as they did live through it, and the joy on their faces as they were remembering their youth through this show, was delightful.
Caroline is more than just a musical; it’s a celebration of East Anglian history. It’s a reminder that once upon a time, the most exciting thing in the world was happening just a few miles out at sea, right here on our doorstep.
Whether you lived through the pirate radio era or you just love a good story with an incredible soundtrack, this show is for you. It’s funny, it’s poignant, and it’s loud in all the right ways.
Premiering at the New Wolsey Theatre before embarking on a regional tour, the production serves as both a vibrant piece of entertainment and a landmark achievement for the newly formed East Anglian Touring Consortium.
The 2026 UK tour of Priscilla Queen of the Desert arrives at a fascinating cultural crossroads. Thirty years after the original film’s release and over fifteen years since its West End debut, this new production, directed by Ian Talbot, attempts to balance the ‘high-camp’ spectacle audiences crave with the sensitivity required in a modern socio-political landscape. This reimagined journey through the Australian Outback remains a glittering, poignant celebration of queer resilience.
Based on the movie, we follow three drag-queens on a road trip. Tick, on the verge of a break-down and needing a change, convinces Bernadette, an aging queen who’s just buried her husband and doesn’t know what to do next, and Adam, the more emotional, yet theatrical one, to drive across Australia to perform a number of shows at a casino in Alice Springs. Although this is a cover as Tick had been previously married and has a son he’s never met, unbeknown to the others. You know the story…
At the heart of this production is a trio that not only anchors the show’s emotional stakes, but delights the audience. Kevin Clifton (known primarily for Strictly Come Dancing) delivers a surprisingly grounded performance as Tick (Mitzi). Clifton avoids the trap of playing Tick as a caricature; instead, he emphasises the character’s quiet apprehension regarding fatherhood. We know his dancing is spot on, however, his singing was brilliant.
However, the production’s greatest asset is Adèle Anderson as Bernadette. In a vital move toward authentic representation, the casting of a trans woman in this iconic role pays dividends. Anderson, a veteran of Fascinating Aïda, brings a ‘world-weary elegance’ to the part. Her Bernadette is the production’s dignified core, funny and sharp-tongued, yet deeply vulnerable. She was truly remarkable.
Beside her, Nick Hayes returns to the role of Felicia (Adam) with an explosive, muscular energy that threatens to steal every scene. The chemistry between the three is palpable, shifting seamlessly from vicious drag-queen repartee to genuine, found-family tenderness. Nick’s performance was spectacular.
Visually, the production is a feast, it had an element of simplicity with the props, however this was essential as space was required for the dancing and the big cast. The bus was cool and was physically pushed about the stage for internal/external scenes and I feel it worked well.Visually, the production is a feast, it had an element of simplicity with the props, however this was essential as space was required for the dancing and the big cast. The bus was cool and was physically pushed about the stage for internal/external scenes and I feel it worked well.
Beneath the sequins and disco anthems like ‘I Will Survive’ and ‘It’s Raining Men,’ this production doesn’t shy away from the darker realities of the journey: the homophobic vandalism and the ‘broken-down’ nature of the trio’s bus serve as metaphors for the external and internal barriers they face.
The inclusion of the Three Divas (Leah Vassell, Bernadette Bangura, and Jessie May) functions as a soulful Greek chorus, providing the powerhouse vocals that the queens lip-sync to. This stylistic choice pays homage to the traditional art of drag while ensuring the musical integrity of the disco score.
Plus we had Peter Duncan play Bob – what a fabulous addition!
This is a full on high quality production ticking all the boxes and more, it brought so much joy to the audience and each cast member were utterly incredible (and fit as…)
Claybody Theatre’s latest touring production, The Grand Babylon Hotel, is based on Arnold Bennett’s 1902 book of the same name about a hotel, of which was a thinly disguised version of the Savoy in London, Bennett’s favourite hotel. This adaptation by Deborah McAndrew is a fast paced high-stakes romp that manages to make the Edwardian era feel less like a stuffy history lesson and more like a fever dream fuelled by soft cheese and high-grade energy drinks.
The story follows Theodore Racksole, a multi-millionaire American who, in a move that screams ‘I have more money than sense’, buys one of London’s most prestigious hotels simply because the waiter refused to serve his daughter a steak and a bottle of Bass ale.
What follows is a delightfully convoluted conspiracy involving murder, kidnapped German princes, secret societies, and a criminal mastermind. It’s a ‘whodunnit’ wrapped in a ‘why-are-they-doing-it,’ served with a side of class-conscious wit.
The creative team uses their spatial constraints with a sort of frantic brilliance. The staging is minimalist yet evocative, relying on sharp lighting and a versatile cast to transform a few props into the gilded hallways of a luxury hotel.
The performances are where the production truly earns its praise:
Theodore Racksole (Bill Champion): Played with a boisterous, ‘can-do’ American arrogance that is surprisingly charming. He treats an international assassination plot with the same casual irritation most people reserve for a delayed train.
Nella Racksole (Alice Pryor) is not your typical Edwardian damsel. She’s sharp, proactive, and seemingly the only person in the building with a functioning moral compass. Her physical nuances truly brings depth to the character.
Special mention must go to the supporting cast, although ‘supporting cast’ isn’t the right term, it’s three other stunning actors who play a multitude of brilliant & hilarious characters. Their ability to switch hats, literally, to denote a change in rank or nationality is a masterclass in frantic efficiency. The breaking of the fourth wall a couple of times at the perfect moments were simply genius.
The pacing is relentless. At times, the plot moves so quickly that if you blink to clear your eyes, you might miss three betrayals and a minor diplomatic crisis. It’s ‘prestige’ drama with a wink and a nudge, acknowledging that while the stakes are life and death, the whole thing is fundamentally ridiculous. Although a slightly slow start, it didn’t take too long for the audience to tap into the humour, the silliness and the damn right brilliance of the performance. It was a funny, enjoyable play with a dazzling cast, who’s timing and infectious joy made it a wonderful night at the theatre.
