Dancing in the Street
Motown’s overflowing catalogue of hits provides the basis for this celebratory show and a sheer love of the music must make its fans want to see other artists pretending to be their heroes. But then, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Nathaniel Morrison as Stevie Wonder in Dancing In The Street at the Cambridge Theatre Photo: Tristram Kenton
Part narrative, telling Motown’s extraordinary story, this is mainly a concert-style recreation of most of its biggest stars.
Ray Shell plays a former Hitsville soundman who, in recalling the hit factory’s glory days, introduces the singers - some of whom look and sound more accurate than others - and encourages the crowd to party.
Fronted by Robert Grose as Levi Stubbs, The Four Tops bring everyone to their feet, but - dressed in replicas of their white fur-trimmed gowns and fur capes - it is Siam Hurlock’s remarkable portrayal of Diana Ross and Paula Kay and Jacqui Zvimba as the other Supremes who provide a truly spine-tingling moment. Singing a medley including Stop! In the Name of Love and Baby Love, you could almost believe you were back in the sixties.
Old favourites include Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Martha and the Vandellas and Gladys Knight. Nathaniel Morrison makes a more-than-passable Little Stevie Wonder.
The eight-piece onstage band was never going to equal the incredible Funk Brothers’ sound but costumes, hair and make-up are authentic reproductions, as is choreographer Carole Todd’s reprise of the unique dance moves.
This is a cut above most nostalgia shows and everyone is as ecstatic as if they had been watching the real thing.
Production information
- Management:
- Paul Walden and Derek Nicol for Flying Music
- Cast:
- Sharn Adela, Courtney Buchanan, Ryan Chandler, Robert Grose, Divine Harrison, Adrian Hansel, Paul Hazel, Siam Hurlock, Chris Murrell, Ray Shell, Mark Vincent, Amanda Posner, Alana Maria, AJ Lewis, Earl Perkins
- Director:
- Keith Strachan
- Design:
- Sean Cavanagh
- Sound:
- Ben Harrison
- Lighting:
- Ben Cracknell
- Costumes:
- Tony Priestley
- Choreography:
- Carole Todd
- Run time:
- 2hr 45mins
Production information can change over the run of the show.
Run sheet
- Wyvern Swindon
- April 15 2005
- Hall for Cornwall Truro
- April 16 2005
- Corn Exchange Cambridge
- April 20 2005
- Hexagon Reading
- April 21 2005
- Grand Blackpool
- April 24 2005
- Ashcroft Croydon
- April 28-30 2005
- Royal Concert Hall Glasgow
- May 3- 5 2005
- Usher Hall Edinburgh
- May 6 2005
- Caird Hall Dundee
- May 7 2005
- Music Hall Aberdeen
- May 8 2005
- Orchard Dartford
- May 10-14 2005
- Hippodrome Bristol
- May 15 2005
- Opera House Manchester
- May 17-21 2005
- Embassy Skegness
- May 22 2005
- New Oxford
- May 24 2005
- Civic Darlington
- May 25 2005
- Alban Arena St Albans
- May 26 2005
- Venue Cymru Llandudno
- May 27 2005
- De Montfort Hall Leicester
- May 28 2005
- Grand Wolverhampton
- May 29 2005
- Hippodrome Birmingham
- May 31-June 4 2005
- Victoria Halifax
- June 5 2005
- Opera House Newcastle-upon-Tyne
- June 7-11 2005
- Opera House Buxton
- June 12 2005
- New Hull
- June 14-18 2005
- Swan High Wycombe
- June 19 2005
- Mayflower Southampton
- June 21-25 2005
- Theatre Royal Norwich
- June 26 2005
- Cambridge London
- July 19 2005-April 22 2006
- Aldwych London
- April 27-July 22 2006
- Playhouse London
- August 1 2006-July 14 2007
- Wales Millennium Centre, Main Room Cardiff
- August 27-September 1 2007
- Congress Eastbourne
- September 3- 5 2007
- Opera House Buxton
- September 6- 8 2007
- Music Hall Aberdeen
- September 9 2007
- Playhouse Edinburgh
- September 11-13 2007
- Auditorium Grimsby
- September 14 2007
- De Montfort Hall Leicester
- September 15 2007
- Alexandra Birmingham
- September 17-22 2007
- Journal Tyne Newcastle-upon-Tyne
- September 24-29 2007
- Royal Concert Hall Glasgow
- October 1- 2 2007
- Wyvern Swindon
- October 3 2007
- Playhouse Weston Super Mare
- October 4 2007
- Pavilion Plymouth
- October 5 2007
- Alban Arena St Albans
- October 6- 7 2007
- City Hall Salisbury
- October 9 2007
- Hawth Crawley
- October 10-11 2007
- Anvil Basingstoke
- October 12-13 2007
- Belgrade Coventry
- October 15-20 2007
- Orchard Dartford
- October 22-27 2007
- Derngate, Royal & Derngate Northampton
- October 29 2007
- Broadway Peterborough
- October 30 2007
- Southport Theatre Southport
- October 31 2007
- Victoria Halifax
- November 1 2007
- Caird Hall Dundee
- November 2 2007
- Grand Opera House York
- November 3 2007
- Victoria Hall Stoke-On-Trent
- November 4 2007
- Hexagon Reading
- November 6 2007
- Princess Torquay
- November 7 2007
- Leas Cliff Hall Folkestone
- November 8 2007
- New Oxford
- November 9-10 2007
- Opera House Manchester
- November 12-17 2007
- Civic Darlington
- February 4- 9
- Hippodrome Bristol
- February 12-16
- Empire Sunderland
- March 4- 8
- Churchill Bromley
- March 10-15
- Royal Concert Hall Nottingham
- March 24-26
- Corn Exchange Cambridge
- March 28
- Mayflower Southampton
- March 31-April 5
- Richmond Theatre Richmond-upon-Thames
- April 14-19
- Grand Blackpool
- April 21-26
- Milton Keynes Theatre Milton Keynes
- May 8-10
- Grand Theatre and Opera House Leeds
- May 26-31
- Lyceum Sheffield
- June 2
- New Victoria Woking
- June 9-14
- Theatre Royal Bath
- June 23-28
Do you believe the information shown here is incorrect? If so let us know by e-mailing us at listings@thestage.co.uk.
Content is copyright © 2008 The Stage Newspaper Limited unless otherwise stated.
All RSS feeds are published for personal, non-commercial use. (What’s RSS?)