Thames Tv was on the top of its inventive powers within the late Seventies and early Eighties and below the great Verity Lambert (1935-2007) produced many iconic exhibits together with The bare civil servant (1975), The Sweeney (1975-1978), Minder (1979-1994), Widows (1983-1985), Rumpole of the Bailey (1978-1992) and Edward and Mrs Simpson (1978), all traditional TV dramas of the interval. In 1976/1977 she produced a 12-episode (2 collection) present known as Rock Follies which made stars of Charlotte Cornwall, Rula Lenska and Julie Covington and its themes of an independently minded three-girl rock band known as the Little Women in a world dominated by males was brilliantly executed and acted. The Chichester Theatre adaptation of this Landmark TV collection by Chloe Moss for the Minerva after 45 years is courageous and daring in opposition to the recollections of the three BAFTA Awarding profitable collection and a no 1 soundtrack album. The adaption seems to elevate the plot from the twelve episodes and keep true to its storyline, however the impact is a really bitty episodic slightly lengthy working time as they cram each music and plot level in from their formation, by means of their relationships, the excursions and brokers and artists they meet within the pursuit of fame. It does draw out clearly the tensions between the necessity and want for fame and fortune and the motivation and intent to alter the world with their messages. It’s this theme that maybe resonates the perfect right this moment, however it isn’t robust sufficient to drive the narrative.
This episodic construction and weak rating imply the solid should work very exhausting to breathe life and power into the story and the three main women make an excellent effort in creating plausible differentiated characters and the dynamic between them, even when they don’t fairly have the charisma and presence of their TV equivalents. Zizi Strallen is Q, the luxurious peacemaker of the three, anxious to maintain the three collectively by no siding with anybody whereas not admitting her relationship with Harry (Samuel Barnett) has damaged down. Carly Bowden is Anna, the inventive pressure of the group and author whose personal relationship with Jack (Fred Haig) appears to be extra based mostly on cash than love. Angela Marie Hurst is Dee, supposedly essentially the most highly effective singer and in an open relationship in a commune with Spike (Stephenson Arden-Sodje). Later they’re joined within the band by Roxy (Philippa Stefani) wanting each bit like a cross between Suzi Quatrro and Sally James, two feminine icons of the interval.There’s robust help from Tasmin Carroll because the strident Kitty (in an ideal Joanna Lumley type Purdey haircut), the supervisor who lastly will get their profession on monitor however at some value to the founders and their beliefs and from Sebastian Torkia because the obnoxious pop star (wanting like a cross between Alce Copper and Jerry Sadowitz) who symbolises every part that was unsuitable with the popular culture.
The consequence appears like a parody of seventies vogue, haircuts, and tradition stuffed with tacky sleazy male stereotypes of the period with dated references to Susan Hampshire, Robert Redford, and Colonel Parker. The usage of cabled microphones and a myriad of flight instances could also be designed to create the texture of a seventies rock tour to divey venues with long-haired roadies setting the scenes so that you simply anticipate at any second they are going to faucet the mikes and announce “1-2” into them however it doesn’t support the stream of the present and creates tripping hazards which always problem the solid. It feels clunky and messy and inhibits the central performances of the Little Women.At occasions the present appears like a Pre Edinburgh-Fringe workshop with a script that must be tighter, the adjustments of location slicker (maybe with projected areas and dates or scene titles) and the texture extra genuine and fewer parody. I wished to love the manufacturing, I wished it to honour the unique and convey the story to new audiences, and I wished to rejoice the seventies youth tradition I loved however, in the long run, I used to be left recalling the title of a 1975 guide, Nostalgia isn’t what it was.
Overview by Nick Wayne
Score: ★★★
Seat: Row E | Value of Ticket: £39
