The Stage

All The Fun Of The Fair

Published Friday 19 September 2008 at 16:40 by James Green

David Essex and the music from his first album are the backbone of this new musical, but the real lead is Paul-Ryan Carberry who - only months out of drama school - is making his professional debut.

Essex, who enjoyed a similar break himself playing Jesus in Godspell, is now cast as Levi a silvery-haired old school owner of a travelling fun fair, and Carberry is an excellent choice for his son. With their respective romantic affairs they carry the show between them, aided by such past Essex hits as Hold Me Close, Gonna Make You a Star, Rock On, and A Winter’s Tale.

While well sung and musically strong, plus the clever introduction of merry-go-round horses, dodgem cars, and wall of death motorbikes, this is not the happiest of stories. Romances go seriously wrong, the fair is dated and failing, a gang leader orders a violent smash up raid on stalls and “pikeys”, and a fatal shooting results. But this being showbusiness, the fatality returns to share an ovation with the rest of a fine team.

Essex looks an old-timer wearing working clothes, with a black hat and sturdy boots, and the noted gravelly singing voice has lost little over the decades.

Noticeable too, is the affection in which he is held by the audience, with a big laugh when he says the script line, “I used to have long black curly hair.”

Louise English is the gypsy fortune-teller who fancies Levi and is caught having caravan hanky-panky with him, and Emma Thornett is her daughter, totally smitten by the son.

Whereas he has fallen for Alica, the blonde daughter of gang boss Hervey (David Burrows), who when not up to villainy can sing and dance with the best of them.

Not the lightest of musicals, but the songs, performances, and effects are there to put the fun into the fair.

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