Step Behind The Stage
Crooners
New Theatre, Peterborough - 16/02/24
Review by Daniel Marshall
Last night saw the UK tour of Crooners stop by Peterborough for a night of comedy musical brilliance. The show is the masterful creation of Roman Marek, who wrote, directed and produced the production, as well as starring as a crooner named Charlie. However, this is by no means a one man show. Marek is joined on stage by two further crooners, Winston (Jim Whitley) and Rupert (Phil Barley), and the internationally renowned Mini Big Band.
The show follows the story of the last three Crooners on earth, desperately searching the audience for a mate to prevent their extinction. It is a simple story, but provides the perfect framework for the musical excellence and rib-aching hilarity that then ensued. Crooners is one of the funniest things I have ever watched, combining crude, slapstick and one-line comedy to have the audience in stitches from start to finish.
There was crowd work in abundance, with audience member Adam becoming somewhat of a star in the story. Watching each Crooner improvise lines whilst the others tried not to break character was so infectious that you almost never wanted those moments to end. That is fully testament to the fluidity Marek’s script provides. When the musical numbers are in full swing, we are down to business, but in between chaos is positively encouraged and makes the show such a special experience.
A particular unintentional highlight was when Barley’s Rupert was meant to ask his fellow crooner to “pick a lady” but instead said “lick a lady”, a side-splitting moment that broke the entire cast. Without giving anything away, the beginning of the second act in particular may be the funniest thing I have ever witnessed on stage.
The only negative I can write is that it became hard to see the stage at times due to the constant tears of laughter blocking my vision. Calling this show comedic genius is an understatement. However, whilst comedy plays an integral part of Crooners’ appeal, it is by no means the sole focus.
The show’s musicality is flawless, transporting you back to a world of 1950s swing. So much of this transportation is made possible by the Mini Big Band, who away from Crooners are also a world renowned swing band. On the night we had eight members of the Mini Big Band playing, but it sounded as if 50 musicians were on stage. This cacophony of sound was paired with the three Crooners, each of whom brought their own unique vocals, which combined to make the most incredibly smooth harmonies.
Each song was delivered with rip-roaring choreography that took influences from all different backgrounds. There were swing routines, Charleston inspired numbers and perhaps most impressive, the tap dancing skills of Whitley and Marek. Part of the second act saw each Crooner become an American icon, performing one of their classic tracks each. This led to a real shift in focus towards the music, highlighting just how talented a performer every cast member was. Of course, there was still room for comedic moments throughout this.
Crooners really does feel like a show that belongs on the big stage and more than carries the entertainment value to get there. Having already sold out theatres up and down the country, it really is a matter of counting down the days until this production hits global phenomenon status. It was a performance like no other I have seen and a performance I would go back for in a heartbeat.
Cast on the Night:
Roman Marek – Charlie
Phil Barley – Rupert
Jim Whitley – Winston
The Mini Big Band