Due to its effervescent score and sitcom-style book this show would go down a storm on a glamorous over 60’s luxury cruise ship voyage. At times it felt so “cruise ship” (in the best way possible) that it wouldn’t have come as much of a surprise if Jane McDonald burst through the auditorium fire exit doors with a camera crew in toe. Congratulations to cast and crew for pulling off a truly feel-good show – the band and cast are a class act of talented individuals! Bravo.

The sparse book by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran makes little attempt to tell a story but is merely a series of sound bites and lifted end-of-pier postcard jokes as a means of joining up the songs. Such as mind numbing links like ‘Bobby and Laura look happy together’ – cue Bobby and Laura sing ‘Happy Together.’ Hit recording star of Venus in Blue Jeans, Go Away Little Girl, It’s Almost Tomorrow and many more, Mark Wynter, will continue with the company of established Dreamboats and Petticoats favourites from the past fifteen years. Selected items are only available for delivery via the Royal Mail 48® service and other items are available for delivery using this service for a charge.Mike Lloyd makes a fantastic turn as flamboyantly militant, Carry on Camping-esque holiday manager Percy. But perhaps the stand out 5 minutes of the whole show is David Benson, when he cameos as a very convincing Kenneth Williams presenting Eurovision. His rendition of William’s famous musical sketch Ma crepe suzettehas the audience in stitches and his performance really adds to the show’s quintessential old school British variety show humour, reminiscent of Saturday Night at the London Palladium. A true talent! A vibrant, young and talented cast took over the stage with their energy - singing, dancing and saxophone playing.....this show is a delight from start to finish with an excellent cameo by a familiar face of the 60s Mark Wynter - and he's still got charisma! As Ellis wrote in the booklet notes to a later compilation CD, Singles A's and B's, "In an attempt to break the mould we recorded a song far removed from the anthemic-like previous hits." The song was called "Baby I Know". Released at the end of 1969, competing with releases from other big names for a place in the charts over Christmas, it failed completely. Ellis felt the band had run its course and he left in December 1969 for a solo career: "We never really made it big anywhere but Britain and I think that if we had started to happen in America, I wouldn't have left". [7] In fact, the group had issued top ten singles in several European countries, as well as New Zealand, but indeed never made the charts at all in the US or Canada.

Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran’s sitcom style book never takes itself too seriously, embracing its own flaws; most of the dialogue is written with the aim of shoehorning in another song and as soon as any real drama begins to develop it’s brushed over… but no-one is complaining! We all recognise it’s an attempt to keep this night at the theatre a barrel of laughs and fun-time nostalgia that your nan will love. The group has since been revived, though sometimes without any original members, for cabaret dates; [2] and Ellis has also performed live with a reconstituted Steve Ellis's Love Affair. Yes, it’s a long-lost England in which the generational void is not so much a gap more a yawning chasm. Mark Wynter, who at near 80 is one of a dwindling number of still working pop crooners from the late 50s, puts in a sprightly performance as talent agent Larry and gets to do a medley of his own numbers from half a century ago. Enter ‘The Kellys’ – a wondrous vignette featuring a parody of clean-cut 60s trio ‘The Bachelors.’ They spoof the very worst of Eurovision entries with a dreadful number called ‘Whizbang Gang’.Every single cast member was outstanding and loved every minute. No way could you sit through the whole show and not tap your feet, clap or snap your finger. Well done all, a round of applause really isn’t enough ☺️💕

It didn’t help the cause that I had reviewed ‘Beautiful’ the Carole King musical the night before where the talented Douglas McGrath has written a book that is as sharp as it is crisp – lifting and complimenting the huge songbook. This sequel reunites the characters some may have seen before, following sweethearts Laura (the chart-topping TV star taking up a glamorous summer season residency at the Torquay Palace) and Bobby (who’s been offered a summer gig with his boyish bandmates at Butlins, Bognor Regis) as they venture through the early days of their long-distance summer romance. No wonder it all feels like a homage to Hi-de-Hi! Hit recording star of Venus in Blue Jeans, Go Away Little Girl, It’s Almost Tomorrow and many more, Mark Wynter will be joining a company of established Dreamboats and Petticoats favourites from the past fifteen years. Dreamboats and Petticoats, based on the book by Lawrence Marks and Maurice Gran, should be required viewing by all those who were either there… or wish they had been there to experience for themselves. A final special shout out to audio man Chris Whybrow who delivered a pretty authentic 60s sound – Sheridan Lloyd for magnificent MD-ship and nimble fingered keys, plus my top man – Daniel Kofi Wealthyland – for being the most exciting drummer I’ve heard in a long while. He drove each number with a passion in every beat.This is the third instalment in the Dreamboats & Petticoats stage franchise. The story follows the continuing trials and tribulations of Bobby and Laura. The group became frustrated at being treated like teen idols, unable to hear themselves on stage because of the constant screaming and at being pigeonholed as a "pop group". All the A-sides featured heavy orchestral and brass arrangements behind Ellis's vocals, with minimal participation from the others, although they wrote and played on the heavier B-sides themselves. [5]