Sunny Afternoon

★★★★☆    Kinky Bootiful

Edinburgh Playhouse: Tue 13 – Sat 17 Sept 2016
Review by Martin Gray

One of the seminal British bands of the Sixties gets the biographical treatment at The Playhouse this week in Sunny Afternoon, a show that’s several cuts above the jukebox musical you may be expecting.

The Kinks. I’ve never noticed what a daft name that is. Well, they’ve always been there, purveyors of a particular kind of folksy British pop somewhere between Madness and XTC but, of course, pre-dating both.

Garmon Rhys (Pete Quaife), Ryan O’Donnell (Ray Davies), Andrew Gallo (Mick Avory) and Mark Newnham (Dave Davies). Photo Kevin Cummins

It turns out they were previously known as The Ravens but came up with the more famous name while being literally groomed for stardom in a Carnaby Street tailors and looking a tad kinky.

Of course they did – that’s also where Ray Davies, brother Dave and pals Mick Avory and Pete Quaife came up with Dedicated Follower of Fashion. Oh yes they did…

… or maybe they didn’t, I’m not going to look it up and let Wikipedia ruin a good show. And this is a really good show, as we follow the Muswell Hill quartet’s rise to fame from their beginnings as a jobbing beat combo to their topping the UK charts and curtailed attempts to crack the USA… despite being probably Britain’s only socialist pop group, they ran afoul of the Musicians Union and the Teamsters.

There’s romance as songwriter Ray falls for Bradford belle Rasa and she falls pregnant; tension between jazz-crazy drummer Mick and bassist Pete; the latter’s feelings of isolation in the band; and problems with too many managers. It’s a packed show, but never feels overstuffed.

under-appreciated genius

Thank writer Joe Penhall for that, as his script speedily sketches in enough character bits to make you care, but never sticks with a moment long enough for you to get bored. Well, there are a lot of songs to fit in, each one a testament to Ray Davies’ under-appreciated genius: You Really Got Me, Stop Your Sobbing, Denmark Street, A Well Respected Man, Just Can’t Get To Sleep and more are slotted in seamlessly to move the story along, either as performances or more personal pieces of the narrative

Ryan O’Donnell (Ray Davies), Mark Newnham (Dave Davies), Andrew Gallo (Mick Avory) and Garmon Rhys (Pete Quaife). Photo Kevin Cummins

And they’re beautifully performed by a cast as able to play the emotions as they are multiple instruments. The chemistry between Ray (Ryan O’Donnell) and Rasa (Lisa Wright) is terrific, they find a real tenderness, wonderfully expressed in the standout Sitting In My Hotel/I Go To Sleep sequence. O’Donnell does the real Ray Davies proud, bringing the best out of the more melodic tunes and really going for it on the rockier numbers.

Mark Newnham enjoys the goofy volatility of Dave, Garmon Rhys makes the most of his few spotlight scenes as Pete and Andrew Gallo is terrific as not-so-gentle giant Mick – and his long drum solo, showing just how much his skills aren’t showcased by the band, is several minutes of unfettered joy.

The rest of the ensemble inhabit their various roles with glee – especially Michael Warburton, who gets to be Austrian one minute, American the next. He also plays the drums when Mick’s needed upfront, which can get a little confusing when he’s still dressed as Eddie Kassner – why is The Kinks’ publisher playing percussion? Still, a cast in which almost everyone plays an instrument as well as acting, singing and dancing makes for a richer theatrical pie.

distracting

I could, though, have done without the man sitting on the floor by the drums, handing out guitars and untangling wires, who didn’t seem to exist in the world of the play. The poor guy’s just doing his job, and no doubt very well, but it was a tad distracting.

Ryan O’Donnell (Ray Davies). Photo Kevin Cummins

Edward Hall’s direction and Adam Cooper’s choreography combine to give us a zippy stage experience, with musical director Barney Ashworth and guitarist Andy Gammon also making a massive contribution. Miriam Buether’s set designs are clever – but not clever clever. A wall of amplifiers sounds weird, but it’s the perfect backdrop, and easy to modify for different settings. Great costumes too, very evocative of the Sixties setting.

You don’t have to be a big Kinks fan to enjoy this musical. You may not even realise Ray Davies penned the likes of I Go To Sleep, Stop Your Sobbing and Days – delivered here in a beautiful a Capella arrangement – which were massive hits for Chrissie Hynde and Kirsty MacColl. But once you see Sunny Afternoon, you’ll never forget it.

Running time: 2 hours 40 mins (including one interval)
Edinburgh Playhouse, 18 – 22 Greenside Place, EH1 3AA.
Tuesday 13 – Saturday 17 September 2016
Daily, 7.30pm. Matinees Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday at 2.30pm.

Tickets and booking details: http://www.atgtickets.com/shows/sunny-afternoon/edinburgh-playhouse/

Sunny Afternoon website: http://sunnyafternoonthemusical.com

ENDS

Tags: Adam Cooper, Andrew Gallo, Andy Gammon, Barney Ashworth, Edward Hall, Garmon Rhys, Joe Penhall, Lisa Wright, Mark Newnham, Martin Gray, Michael Warburton, Miriam Buether, Musicals, Playhouse, Review, Ryan O'Donnell, Sunny Afternoon