Jive Talkin’ - The Bee Gees Story

Published Monday 28 January 2008 at 11:55 by Mark Ritchie

As the tribute genre lurches headlong into the world of the production show, the latest product to emerge from ‘planet tribute’ was unveiled in the ornate surroundings of Wakefield’s famous Frank Matcham theatre.

A six-piece tribute band is augmented, in the first half of this show at least, by a string section and in the second half by two impressive guest vocalists.

The musical content reminded us, just in case we’d forgotten, of exactly how many Gibb Brothers songs have become hits for superstars such as Streisand and Celine Dion.

Of course, the most rip-roaring part of the evening, certainly from the audience’s point of view, was the Saturday Night Fever section.

But surely it would have been great to see the cast dressed in seventies disco gear during this segment.

The lookalike and soundalike quality really is quite stunning at times and the prerequisite falsetto vocals were strong enough to be convincing.

A well thought out pictorial and video contribution, complete with voice-overs, told the musical beginning to present day story of the Bee Gees.

However in adopting the chronological approach to the remarkable story of the brothers Gibb, the set stutters and lacks a sense of impetus, particularly in the second half.

A pity really, as all the ingredients are there to make one heck of a show.