Review: SUNNY AFTERNOON at Edinburgh Playhouse
Nostalgia dominates over plot in this Kinks musical
1960s rock band The Kinks never reached the towering commercial heights of The Beatles or The Rolling Stones, but Joe Penhall’s jukebox bio-musical Sunny Afternoon argues that their turbulent journey to stardom was no less dramatic. Following the band’s rise through the 1960s, the production centres on frontman Ray Davies as he struggles to balance artistic ambition with the relentless commercial pressures of the music industry.
I know one song by the Kinks, so granted I wasn't really the target demographic here. Still, while songs like You Really Got Me and All Day and All Day and All of the Night brought undeniable energy, the production quickly began to feel repetitive... particularly when the same songs were recycled multiple times.
The biggest issue is that beneath the music there is minimal dramatic substance. The story of the band’s rise feels a bit lifeless, with long stretches of flat dialogue stitched together mainly to set up the next number. At points, the musical seems less interested in telling a coherent story than finding forced ways to squeeze another song into the runtime. Even by jukebox musical standards, the plot felt thin.
Technically the piece could've been better in parts. Sound design frequently buries dialogue beneath the music, while the choreography feels a little basic. The set depicts a promising wall of stacked speakers, nevertheless it remains pretty static throughout the production.
There are occasional funny lines and enough musical energy to keep the show watchable, but after two hours the songs blur into one another and the emotional stakes feel mediocre.
If you're a Kinks fan, go. If not, Sunny Afternoon offers a fun night out if you want to learn more about an important UK band.
Sunny Afternoon will be at the Edinburgh Playhouse until the 9th of May
Photo: Manuel Harlan
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