Friday 14th October 2011 by Will Langdale
A quick pick of what’s hot in the TicketTree.com office
Get by with a little Help!
We’ll warn you now, the following is going to contain quite a few arbitrarily shoehorned-in Beatles lyrics, because Backbeat opened on Monday, and depending where you read your news, it may or may not be able to buy you love! The show is based on Ian Softley’s 1994 film, and the plot follows the band during their Hamburg years and culminates in the departure of the band’s original bassist, Stuart Sutcliffe. So, should you get a ticket to ride?
Reviews oscillated wildly, please pleasing many, who gave the show a hearty four stars. Whatsonstage.com’s Michael Coveney was in this camp, and was rather enamoured with “the meanest rock ‘n’ roll I’ve ever heard on a West End stage”, and as the Guardian’s Leo Benedictus quipped amusingly, he was metaphorically “jiggling alongside” none other than the Daily Mail’s Quentin Letts, an image that is somewhere between terrifying and getting… better.
Yet at the other end of the scale, the show had a hard day’s night with a measly two stars for many, including the Daily Telegraph’s Charles Spencer, who says Backbeat “largely fails to capture the rackety atmosphere of the sleazy Hamburg clubs”. The Times’ Libby Purves is similarly only sleeping, feeling that the relationships, “rather than explored, are constantly interrupted by full-length rendering of hackneyed rock covers”. So, nothing to twist and shout about?
The critics are so divided on this one that perhaps it’s wrong to judge the show by mere paperback writers, so just let it be. If decent drama and awesome early rock ‘n’ roll sounds like it could make you feel fine, then become a day tripper and get down there. It’s something you should have done yesterday!
And there’s no way I’m fitting I Am The Walrus into this.
All that jazz
Looks like Chicago’s move to the Garrick is bringing more than just a new set of curtains to the production. America Ferrera, best known in the UK as the eponymous character in Channel 4’s Ugly Betty, is taking centre stage as Roxy Hart when the show reopens. In her debut on the British stage, she’ll be in the performance right from the get-go on November 7th, and she’s confirmed for the 15th anniversary performance on November 18th.
Deal of the week
We’re feeling super generous this week, so it’s another double deal week! Use CHICAGOBLOG and BACKBEATBLOG along with the respective shows to net yourself a lovely 5% off either show. Just enter the voucher code on the payment page.
BONUS COMPETITION!
Managed to make it through that groanworthy Backbeat article? Well, maybe it was worth it after all! Give us a call on 01482 221256 or email us at enquiries@tickettree.com and tell us exactly how many Beatles references we dropped throughout the Backbeat section of this blog and the first correct answer will net a cool 10% off any break. Closing date is midday on Friday 21st October 2011, and the winner’ll be announced next week!