Review - 'Dreamboats & Petticoats' at Savoy Theatre 2009

Genre: Musical
Opened 27 July 2009
Written: by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, inspired by the album, Dreamboats and Petticoats
Directed: by Bob Tomson
Synopsis: Featuring songs from Roy Orbison, The Shadows, Eddie Cochran, Billy Fury, Chuck Berry and many more. In 1961 emotions run high as talented young musicians Norman and Bobby compete to win the hearts of their adoring female fans - and more importantly, the gorgeous Laura. But when Laura shows that she's no slouch with the guitar, rock 'n' roll fame beckons...

What the popular press had to say.....
LYN GARDNER for THE GUARDIAN says, " Inoffensive and as squeaky clean as a toothpaste advert, this musical trip down memory lane was inspired by a compilation album of early 1960s hits...Dreamboats and Petticoats is not bad, although it tails off lamely in the second half, but it is not very good either." FIONA MOUNTFORD for THE EVENING STANDARD says, "peppy production ." CHARLES SPENCER for THE DAILY TELEGRAPH says, "I confess I loved every moment of this show, hackneyed though the script by TV sitcom writers Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran often is. Bob Tomson's lively production has great heart, following a group of teenagers at a youth club as they bicker, feud, fall in and out of love and try - and fail - to become pop stars." VALERIE POTTER for THE LONDON LITE says, "Boasts toe-tapping tunes aplenty, yet ultimately buckles under their weight." SAM MARLOWE for THE TIMES says, "Although Bob Tomson's direction is mercifully brisk and the company is well-drilled, there's a laziness to the concept and a cheapness to its execution that no amount of energetic gyration and forced, cheesy cheeriness can disguise."

External links to full reviews from popular press
The Guardian
Daily Telegraph
The Times

Production photo by Keith Pattison