Son of a Preacher Man

★★★☆☆    Nostalgic

King’s Theatre: Tue 17 – Sat 21 Oct 2017
Review by Sarah Moyes

Dusty Springfield fans will love Son of a Preacher Man as the 60s return to the Kings this week with Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood on both direction and choreographic duties.

Just don’t hold your breath for a thrilling script because a good storyline is something that’s unfortunately lacking in this new jukebox musical.

A scene from Son of a Preacher Man. Pic: Darren Bell

Let’s face it, it was only a matter of time before a musical full of Dusty Springfield hits made its way onto the circuit. However, where some jukebox musicals have succeeded, think Mamma Mia and Rock of Ages, Son of a Preacher Man just doesn’t quite hit the mark.

In 1960s Soho, Preacher Man was the most swinging joint in town where kids danced the night away while its legendary owner, The Preacher Man, handed out advice to help their lonely hearts. It’s now present day and we’re introduced to three random strangers who find themselves drawn to the site of the infamous venue in search of the love guru.

The three – Kat, Paul and Alison – soon discover they’re even more unlucky in love as the Preacher Man is long gone, however his son Simon aka Son of the Preacher Man is on hand to try help these lovesick strangers find happiness again.

Ian Reddington who plays Simon is charming as he finds himself thrown into his father’s shoes. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see him sing much, but he shows off a fantastic voice when he does. It would have been a welcome addition to the show to have him singing more.

Stand-out performance

The role of Kat is normally played by former X Factor star Diana Vickers, but understudy Jess Barker stepped up to the role on press night. Kat is a heartbroken young lady who has been rejected by a man on a dating site that she’s never even met.

Jess Barker puts in one of the stand-out performances of the night at Kat. She’s warm and funny, providing most of the show’s needed humour.

Michael Howe gives a really solid performance as Paul, a kind and likeable man looking to reconnect with an old love. And his rendition of I Close My Eyes And Count To Ten is one of the musical highlights of the show.

Son of a Preacher Man. Pic Darren Bell

Then there’s Alison played by Debra Stephenson. She’s a recently widowed teacher who has a crush on a teenage student. It’s a slightly uncomfortable and unbelievable storyline, but Debra Stevenson gives it her all, even if the subject matter isn’t really explored in much depth.

On paper, Warner Brown’s book might work as a believable plot for a musical. But the reality, under Craig Revel Horwood’s direction, is just not engaging enough.

The actors all give good performances – and you do want to care about their characters. But it is difficult to muster up any real connection to them when the story doesn’t always flow and the songs feel as if they have been added in just to fill up some time.



However, the show does have an amazing soundtrack and you don’t need to be a big Dusty Springfield fan to appreciate the music here. The show delivers classics The Look Of Love, I Only Want To Be With You, and of course, Son Of A Preacher Man. To top it off, the cast can certainly sing and the addition of them playing instruments on stage helps bring the songs to life.

If you’re a Dusty Springfield fan then by all means go and watch the show. The music provides a real nostalgic factor that anyone who remembers the 60s will love. It’s just unlikely that Son of a Preacher Man will be thought of as a ground-breaking musical any time soon.

Running time: Two hours and 25 minutes (including one interval).
King’s Theatre, 2 Leven Street EH3 9LQ.
Tuesday 17 – Saturday 21 October
Evenings: 7.30pm. Matinees Wed & Sat: 2.30pm
Tickets and details: www.edtheatres.com/preacherman.

Tour website: http://sonofapreachermanmusical.com/
Twitter: @PreacherManUK
Facebook: /sonofapreachermanuk

Tags: Craig Revel Horwood, Debra Stephenson, Diana Vickers, Dusty Springfield, Ian Reddington, Jess Barker, King's Theatre, Michael Howe, Musical, Musicals, Review, Sarah Moyes, Son of a Preacher Man, Warner Brown