"In
the world of musical theatre, the sub-genre of the sci-fi/ rock 'n'
roll musical is a fruitful one. The Rocky Horror Show and Return to
the Forbidden Planet both trod this path to great success. In their
entry into this medium, TASTE Productions bring a tale of small-town
America sometime in the mid-20th Century - are the parents of the
town being taken over by alien invaders, or is it just a case of
generational misunderstanding?
The story
is punctuated by well-known musical numbers, some sung by the cast,
some backing tracks for the energetic dance routines. These were
well chosen for the most part - songs such as the B-52s' 'Planet
Claire' and 'Love Shack', Bobby 'Boris' Pickett's 'Monster Mash' and
Philip Oakey and Giorgio Moroder's 'Together in Electric Dreams'
setting the tone for a camp and kitsch theatrical experience.
The key
to this kind of show is for the cast to throw themselves into it,
and that was certainly true of the youthful performers here. They
understood the arch nature of the story and conveyed it with an
exuberance which was infectious. The central 'Scooby Gang' were all
very likeable, particularly Sean Clothier's skilfully impersonated
Elvis-clone, Alvin, Emily Smith's sensible Waldo (clearly inspired
by Buffy's Willow) and Molly Crosby's attractive and flirtatious
Gilly. Ziggy Gray was full of bubbly energy as Zelma and displayed
an impressive singing voice, of which I would have liked to have
heard more. Also of note amongst the supporting players was Florence
Jones, a tiny dynamo of energy and a promising physical comedienne.
I would
have liked to have seen the show build to a rather more obviously
punchy finale. Perhaps if the final number had been sung, rather
than simply danced to, it would have sent the audience off with a
bit more of a zing at the end of an enjoyably silly show.
Robbie Carnegie"
You can buy the script for Space Rox!
from our online shop.
