Review: SUNNY AFTERNOON, New Alexandra Theatre, 6 September 2016

The Olivier Award-winning musical Sunny Afternoon swung into Birmingham's New Alexandra Theatre with a burst of Sixties excess, rock star brawls and real rock 'n' roll.

Based on the true story of The Kinks - their early days as a struggling band, their huge success and the tumultuous story of their front man, Ray Davies - Sunny Afternoon is a jukebox musical with real grit and heart. The story zips along at a healthy pace, with snapshots and vignettes of the band's life deftly strung together with songs from their back catalogue.

The musical opens with one of The Kinks' very first gigs - a hilarious debacle where the London boys rock up at a very conservative Home Counties dance - and progresses to show their first number one "You Really Got Me", onstage fights, a tour of America which results in their eventual ban from the country, contractual difficulties, and their enduring triumphs with songs such as "Sunny Afternoon" and "Waterloo Sunset".

Due to the fast pace of Sunny Afternoon, the cast have very little time to establish their characters. However, with excellent costumes and clear characterisation, we quickly connect with all of the principal characters. Tomm Coles and Richard Hurst are hilarious as the very middle-class managers, repeating their names and dancing with elegant flourishes to great comic effect.

However, the true magic of Sunny Afternoon lies, not in its story (although excellently written by Joe Penhall) but in the music and lyrics of The Kinks, and principally Ray Davies. The sound is raw and violent - quite literally as the Davies brothers punch holes in their amp to produce the desired effect - and the opening chords of "You Really Got Me" resonate throughout the New Alexandra.

We see the music and subsequently the story through Ray's eyes, painting the picture of a poet who dreams music; someone to whom songs just come. He is constantly searching for that perfect song - one his late and beloved sister Renee played on the night of her death - and seems to finally find his epiphany in the beautiful "Waterloo Sunset".

The musical talents of the entire cast are utterly outstanding. The vast majority are actor-musicians, playing multiple roles and instruments throughout. Andrew Gallo, as Mick Avory, is one of the best drummers I have ever heard in full command of an astounding drum solo with rapid changes of pace and moments of flair. Mark Newham encapsulates the spirit of Dave 'the Rave' Davies with that distinctively high voice, unpredictable character and powerful guitar solos.

In the lead role of Ray, Ryan O'Donnell is all at once endearing, captivating and infuriating. His voice is strong and versatile, switching from a soft and dreamy tone to more powerful vocals filled with all of the cynicism of this working-class, socialist rock star.

Sunny Afternoon is a true celebration of what is great about British rock music, packed with catchy riffs, galloping bass lines and surreal, poetic lyrics. The highlight is a stunning, a capella rendition of "The Days". With all instruments and amplification stripped away, and nowhere to hide, the cast gave the best rendition of this song I have ever heard.

Sunny Afternoon takes the live concert feel of Let It Be, the heart and narrative of Jersey Boys, and combines them to produce the perfect jukebox musical that packs a serious punch. It leaves you feeling uplifted, energised and very nostalgic.

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