REVIEW: SUMMER IN THE CITY by Jennifer Selway at Upstairs at the Gatehouse, Highgate until 15 Jan 2023

‘Sizzling hot on a cold winter’s night’ ★★★★

1965. Hetty runs the Four Eyes Cafe on Carnaby Street, which, rather handily given this is a musical, also acts as a rehearsal space for a band. The cafe is the gathering place for wannabes.  Wannabe photographer Bobby, traffic warden Vera who yearns to be a singer, posh Joanna, an ambitious journalist, waiter Sam, an ex-GI with dreams of being a music producer and shop assistant Cassie who longs to go to art school to study fashion.

Sam decides to bring Joanna, Cassie and Vera together as a girl group called The Vixens. They are immediately signed by Decca Records - of course - but tensions rise when the personal ambition of each girl pulls in different directions.
 
The story is thinner than the plot of a Cliff Richard movie. But the point of this production is not the plot, it is the songs. The show is jam packed full of tunes from the ‘60s, bringing an energy reminiscent of a world where people thought anything was possible.
 
Helen Goldwyn as Hetty was the star of the show. Goldwyn has a cracking voice, flawless vocal technique, a fabulous stage presence and a generosity that allowed her to take centre stage when it mattered and give the limelight to others when the story required it. Harry Curley As lovelorn Bobby was warm and engaging as was Elizabeth Walker as Vera, who smashed out her solos with confidence and finesse.
 
The show was not without technical flaws. The balance was off much of the time with the band drowning out the weaker singers and the backing vocals for some of the numbers. While most of the songs were fabulously nostalgic and had many audience members singing along or mouthing the words, there were one or two tunes that perhaps deserved to be left back in the old days.

Ruby Boswell-Green’s set design was clever yet minimal, evoking a coffee shop of the sixties, complete with red and white chequered floor, beaded curtain adorning the doorway and a picture of the late queen on the wall.
 
All in all, this was a feel-good piece of silliness to cheer you up on a cold winter’s night, and apart from the one or two baffled younger people, the audience really got into the swing of it – no pun intended. Even the audience singalong at the end got most people - including this critic - singing with gusto. Everyone left the theatre with a smile on their face and if that’s not the sign of a good show I don’t know what is.

Read our interview with Director John Plews here

SUMMER IN THE CITY by Jennifer Selway

Upstairs at the Gatehouse, 14 December 2022 – 15 January 2023 (except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day), produced by Ovation Theatre Company

Tickets from www.upstairsatthegatehouse.com and 020 8340 3488

Devised and directed by: John Plews

Actors/singers:       Connor Arnold, Candis Butler Jones, Harry Curley, Eliza

Shea, Helen Goldwyn, Elizabeth Walker

Band:                    Curtis Lavender, Jordon Paul Clarke, Tom Parrish, Chris

Hampson, Georgia Ayew

Musical Supervisor: Kevin Oliver Jones 

Choreographer:      Aimee Leigh

Musical Director:    Curtis Lavender 

Lighting Designer:  Aaron Dootson 

Set Designer:         Ruby Boswell-Green 

Costume Designer: Jean Gray 

Casting:                 Pearson Casting 

Producer:               Katie Plews for Ovation

Reviewer: Srabani Sen

Srabani is a theatre actress and playwright. As an actress she has performed at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse (The Globe), the Arcola, Southwark Playhouse, The Pleasance and numerous fringe theatres, in a range of roles from Shakespeare to plays by new and emerging writers. She has written several short and full length plays. Her play Tawaif was longlisted for the ETPEP Finborough award, and her play Vijaya was shortlisted for the Sultan Padamsee Playwrights Award in Mumbai.