Beacon Theatre
Unlucky 13
We give performance opportunities to 10 - 15 year olds from Buckinghamshire Schools. This will be our fourth year at the Fringe; last year we received a number of four and five star reviews
Wallow in nostalgia, enjoy the memories evoked by the classic songs in this production. And remember - life for a thirteen year old, tough as it is, can be fun and thrilling - whatever decade it may be.
Performances:
9th - 14th August
Price:
£7.50 (£6.00) »
The youth of today are a creative, talented and determined lot
Luckily for the audience of this light-hearted look at adolescent life since the ‘50s, the nineteen strong cast show an enthusiasm and professionalism beyond their years. Using the songs of the time the 10-15 year old performers whisk their audience through the decades, paying due attention to the fashions and preoccupations of the teenagers of the time.
While the seamlessly executed costume changes highlight the changing look of the time, the cast, who also wrote this musical, want to remind us that the teenage years have been filled with the same hopes and fears, whatever the decade. Their well put together script captures this. In every decade a group of excited youth club goers discuss the music, stars, media and technology of their age. They also cleverly pick out the defining catch phrases of each decade, from the lady not being for turning to the moon landings offering a small step for man but a giant leap for mankind.
A particular highlight is the news reports which take us through the main events of the 1980s with a liberal helping of humour. Their actual brick used as a mobile phone reminds us how far we’ve come. The determination of a Welshman celebrating Charles and Diana’s wedding that the match will be forever draws a wry laugh from the audience. Indeed, throughout the show the cast manage to balance nostalgia with the knowing wink of hindsight. The result is a show that draws the audience in, putting a smile on your face as you remember the changing decades that have brought us to the ‘noughties’.
Musically, the cast are confident performers. They delivered a strikingly rebellious rendition of ‘Another Brick in the Wall’ and were equally at home a moving acapella version of ‘You Are Not Alone’. In between times their upbeat choices got the audience clapping along. Opportunities taken to feature dance performances and a trombone solo also added variety to their work.
Anyone who wants a reassurance that the youth of today are a creative, talented and determined lot should buy a ticket for this show.
‘Rosalind’.