Review: SUNNY AFTERNOON at Chicago Shakespeare Theater

If you enjoy the music of The Kinks, you’ll enjoy SUNNY AFTERNOON — especially if you want to hear the songs sung well. British actors Danny Horn and Oliver Hoare reprise their roles from the West End as Ray and Dave Davies, respectively, who along with Mick Avory (Kieran McCabe) and Pete Quaife (Michael Lepore) comprised the band’s four founding members. The show features music and lyrics by Ray Davies, with a book from Joe Penhall based on an original story by Ray Davies. I think that’s telling because while it’s a blast to hear The Kinks’ iconic songs performed by great talent, the storytelling isn’t as taut. 

Like many jukebox musicals before it, SUNNY AFTERNOON tells the story of the early days of The Kinks — using their songs as musical fuel. The show’s two acts are dramatically different in terms of pacing and engagement. The first act is crisp and engaging, demonstrating the fiery determination that both Ray and Dave possessed to get the band off the ground (as well as showing us the meet-cute between Ray and his first wife, Rasa). It’s neatly plotted and consistently entertaining. But it putters along in the second half. The book doesn’t provide a deep enough lens into Ray’s interiority as he struggles with the pressures of fame, and it’s too heavily indexed on downtempo songs. The show could stand to give us a clearer characterization of Ray, especially given the real-life Ray’s involvement. Instead, he’s more of a broad sketch of a typical British rockstar. The musical also recaptures only the earliest days of the band — the iconic song “Lola” is included, but the show itself doesn’t offer a glimpse into how it was created.

That’s not to say, however, that the performances in Chicago Shakespeare Theater Artistic Director Edward Hall’s production aren’t captivating to watch. They are! It’s easy to see why Horn and Hoare were brought over from across the pond to reprise their roles. Horn has a powerful, true rock ‘n’ roll singing voice and an amiable, grounded presence that suits Ray perfectly. Hoare is a terrific livewire counterpart to Horn; he plays Dave as every bit the rebellious younger brother who just wants to rock out and have fun. Both men harmonize beautifully together. McCabe is a wonderful singer, but also a magnificent drummer. Overall, this production benefits immensely from its multi-hyphenate cast members, who can sing, dance, act, and play instruments. Ana Margaret Marcu is another highlight as Rasa, Ray’s first wife. She has a gorgeous singing voice. 

While the storytelling is uneven, the musical performances are genuinely thrilling. Like other jukebox musicals, SUNNY AFTERNOON also has fun teasing its audience with the origin stories of The Kinks’ big hits. By the time the group breaks out fully into “You Really Got Me,” it’s obvious that we’re in for a real treat musically with this show. 

SUNNY AFTERNOON runs through April 27, 2025 in the Yard at Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier, 800 East Grand Avenue. 

 

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