The Stage

Soap Queens (And Kings)

Published Monday 6 August 2007 at 10:25 by Robin Duke

Bernie Nolan is one of the best female vocalists in the country. These days, known as much for her roles in Brookside and The Bill, she is back for her second successive pier season capitalising on her “soap queen” spotlight but out to remind us all that she is first and foremost a vocalist.

Ignoring occasional requests to perform the song she and her sisters will forever be identified with, she hints that I’m in the Mood for Dancing may become part of her set by the end of the season. But in the meantime, why not accept she’s more in the mood for singing something a little less lightweight and make the most of a varied repertoire spanning soul, funk, rock, big ballads and favourites from some less obvious musicals - all handled with consummate ease, personality and professionalism.

Rick Coates’ five-piece band is first rate - enabling Bernie to let her hair down on the uptempo material and pour her heart and soul out on the more emotional songs.

But just as she is a singer who became an actress, Richard Shelton is an actor who became a singer. Best known as Emmerdale’s charming but murderous Dr Adam Forsythe, as well as the Frank Sinatra part of the theatrical Rat Pack Confidential cast, he has a decent voice - especially on Sinatra’s familiar classics - but insists on delivering lengthy career anecdotes with a feigned bedside manner.

Comedian Tucker has a cheeky chappie, jack of all trades approach. He’s unflappable and tireless with an armoury of very funny and basically harmless material, plus a powerfully listenable vocal talent.