Fresh from a successful spring tour, people all around the UK have become dedicated followers of Carnaby Street and now it’s set to continue swinging round the country when the 60’s musical opens its autumn leg at Milton Keynes Theatre from 3rd – 7th September.
Set against the evocative backdrop of London’s West End in the Sixties – its famous clubs, trend setting fashions and host of hippies and hipsters, Carnaby Street relives a time when the world was changing, London was its centre and for a new generation – anything was possible.
Inhabiting this world of mods, mini-skirts and mopeds, Carnaby Street tells the story of Jude – a working class boy from Liverpool – new to town, and armed with nothing but his guitar and his dreams of fame and fortune.
Carnaby Street is packed with over 30 solid gold hits including; Shout, My Generation, Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood, Sweets For My Sweet, Roll Over Beethoven, Go Now, Keep On Running, Do Wah Diddy Diddy, Twist And Shout, 54321, We’ve Gotta Get Out Of This Place, Do You Love Me?, and many, many more.
With a book inspired by music industry legend Carl Leighton Pope’s real life experiences he says; “In 1964 I was 18 years old. My father had a pub in Dean Street, Soho called The Crown and Two Chairman and I was an out of work actor. I worked five nights a week in the now iconic venue – The Marquee Club – the hottest club in London for new bands. The Who, The Yardbirds, Rod Stewart, Moody Blues and many more started their careers there in 1964.”
“Being a mod meant I rode a Vespa scooter, bought my clothes in Carnaby Street and followed the cool bands of the time. The Who led the way. We fought on the beaches and lived for the weekends. Our whole lives were based around music. It told us who we were, who we hung around with, what girls we knew. What dances we did – in fact – our entire lifestyle. Soho was called the Square Mile, and that’s where the 60’s really began”
The songs are classic 60’s hits and the fashion and the colour gave me my story. I didn’t want it to be a song-led concert style musical, so the book, together with the music is the story I wanted to tell. It took 16 years to write. It was a real labour of love. Please enjoy it as much as I do.”
Directed by Bob Tomson, whose West End credits include Blood Brothers and Dreamcoats and Petticoats, Designed by Matthew Wright (La Cage aux Folles, Evita), choreographed by Carole Todd (Dreamboats and Petticoats, Soul Sister), Carnaby Street the Musical is the feel good show that never fails to have audiences dancing in the aisles.
Eastenders’ favourite Aaron Sidwell (Loserville, Children of Eden) re-joins the cast as Jack alongside Tricia Adele Turner (Legally Blonde, Blood Brothers) as Jane, Jonny Bower as Jack, Aimie Atkinson (Cannibal! The Musical, Dirty Dancing) A companion CD Carnaby Street featuring 50 swinging sixties songs from the musical is available now on Universal.
Note: Ernie almond watched the show this week at Milton Keynes and Judi Herman saw this production earlier in its tour, if you’d like to know what they both thought of it, please click on “Theatre Reviews” in the heading of this page.
Carnaby Street is at Milton Keynes Theatre from 3rd – 7th September
Box Office: 0844 871 7652 or online: www.atgtickets.com /miltonkeynes
