Of all the artists I have witnessed live, I think that Roy Orbison is the one I have seen the most often. In the 1960s he would regularly appear at Leeds Odeon where they had occasional pop concerts comprising about half a dozen groups of the day, who would perform their hits for about fifteen minutes each, and an established singer to end proceedings with a longer set. The Big ‘O’ seemed to be the promoters’ favourite for this job. A decade later, when his popularity was waning in his home country, he would come over here to play the Northern Cabaret Club circuit, comprising of the Fiestas; Sheffield and Stockton-On-Tees, Wakefield Theatre Club and the daddy of them all, Batley Variety Club. In these venues he would be on for an hour or more. In all the times I saw him I doubt that I heard him say more than three or four words, he would walk onto the stage with his guitar, sing his songs and walk off. No introductions, no greetings and no wishing goodnight to the customers. It was like playing Roy Orbison’s Greatest Hits LP with him miming (I hasten to say that he wasn’t), although you didn’t have to turn it over in the middle of the show! The problem with being so familiar with his music and unique singing style is that, when someone else does it, it doesn’t sound right, which led me to approach In Dreams with a certain amount of trepidation.
In Dreams is a musical in the mould of Mama Mia in that it is based on the catalogue of a single artist whilst neither being a juke box musical nor the back story of the performer. Mama Mia had the advantage of being written by the two composers in Abba so they could not be more familiar with the material. In Dreams is based on a book by David West Read and is directed by Luke Sheppard who both have previous for writing a musical using a composer’s work. Their show ‘& Juliet’, based on the songs of Max Martin, is currently playing on Broadway – New York that is, not Horsforth. The other nagging doubt at the back of my mind was that Mr Orbison’s songs are all so bloody depressing! Even his Christmas song, the schmaltzy Pretty Paper, is about a vagrant crying on the street whilst everyone else is laughing and doing their shopping. The only ones with any spark of optimism are Penny Arcade, best forgotten, and Oh, Pretty Woman. I Drove All Night is borderline but he didn’t have any part of writing that one. I realise that his life was beset by tragedy but come on. As it turns out, the author couldn’t have picked a better template for his show.
The full company
I can’t help but go back to Mama Mia as a reference point because the crux of this show is a reunion of old friends and associates for a celebration and their interaction once back together. As the former show was based on upbeat Abba songs, the bash was a wedding whereas the latter is full of Roy Orbison hits so it revolves around a funeral. Having said that, it is a funeral with a difference.
Kenna, played by Lena Hall, was the front woman of a band called Heartbreak Radio, what else, a one-hit wonder from over a couple of decades ago. She has been diagnosed with cancer but having no family, and losing touch with her friends when the group split, she decided to have her send off before she died so that she could enjoy it herself.
The venue chosen was a Mexican bar/restaurant specialising in memorial services. Fortunately it is in New Mexico so, as the action takes place in November around the festival of Día de Muertos, the weather was good. The Day of the Dead, for that is the translation, is when people gather to celebrate the lives of loved ones who have departed, and often begins in the cemetery before going on to the festivities.
The bar is run by Oscar (Manuel Pacific), whose parents have died, and he is having trouble dealing with it, which is worrying for his wife, Nicole (Gabriella García), who is expecting their first child. Also helping out is Ana Sofia, played by Alma Cuervo, who is Oscar’s grandmother, and recently widowed, obviously. They don’t use the word ‘widow’, preferring to say that she is in a ‘long-distance relationship’. Another staff member is Tom, the camp chef, whom Leon Craig plays with all the restraint of a one-man Pride march. He also just happens to be a huge fan of Heartbreak Radio so, when Kenna turns up he is more than slightly excited.
Another random customer is George, played by Richard Trinder, who has recently starred in, guess what, Mama Mia, and trumps the lot of them as he has been widowed twice. He takes a shine to Ana Sofia and makes it known that he would like to see if third time really is lucky. “Don’t worry, I didn’t kill them!’ Not a chat-up line I would employ, but the ones I do use get me nowhere, so what do I know?
The invited guests comprise Kenna’s best friend, Jane (Sian Reece-Williams), who has married the band’s guitarist, Donovan, played by Noël Sullivan, and borne him five children. At least somebody is replenishing the population. There is also the English drummer, Ramsey, Oliver Tompsett, who has not seen Kenna since the band split 15 years before, at which time they were an item. He is now an Uber driver and so decides to use his cab to get to the do. It also gives him an excuse to sing I Drove All Night.
Ramsey, Oliver Tompsett and Kenna, Lena Hall
The final arrival is Officer Lee, Mark Peachy, who pulled Kenna’s car over whilst she was driving to New Mexico, for zig-zagging all over the road. He let her off when he recognised who she was as he is another fan of the band.
There are three other cast members; Pablo Gómez Jones who plays Pedro, and Fabiola Ocasio as Fernanda, both waiting staff and Hanna Ducharme, Bianca.
L to R. Oscar, Kenna, Ramsey, Tom(background), Jane, Donovan, Nicole, Pedro and Fernanda
The partygoers have no idea as to the reason for the bash but Oliver, whom she has had to tell so he would let her have the early funeral, urges her to spill the refried beans as it wouldn’t be fair to them to find out later. This was especially true of Ramsey who obviously was still smitten and wanted to rekindle the relationship. The characters forge or renew their relationships, including chef Tom who cops off with Officer Lee – see what I did there?
This is a new musical and has quite a long run at the Playhouse so, although the first night was on 3rd July, the press night wasn’t until 12th, which was good in that it meant the cast could settle into their roles. The acting was brilliant all round, managing to stay on the right side of maudlin in the sad parts and not stray into farce during the comedy bits.
Lena Hall, who, as Kenna, opened the show before the action began with a rock chick rendition of Dream Baby, segueing into In The Real World, playing her guitar and belting the words out like Suzy Quatro on steroids. It was at this point that I realised that it was to be no tribute act and the songs would be treated as they saw fit. I couldn’t have been more pleased as it worked superbly well throughout the show.
There is very little to fault in this show and I am sure that it is destined for great success. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a life-affirming experience as well as a really good night out.
Friends Reunited. Donovan (Noël Sullivan), Jane (Sian Reese-Williams), Kenna (Lena Hall) and Ramsey (Oliver Tompsett).
As you have probably guessed by the flippant way in which I have treated such a normally sombre subject, the show is amazingly upbeat and the singing and dancing is almost non-stop throughout the two and a bit hours of stage time. The sets are minimalist with the furnishings being carried on and off the stage by the cast but in such a way that the action doesn’t stop. The use of video projection is also very effective. Of course there are a few poignant moments, and a couple of sad ones – Roy wouldn’t have wanted it any other way, but at the end of the night the audience goes home uplifted with at least one ear worm to hum.
There is one big downside to using the music of such a huge star as Roy Orbison, which is that other people have done it before. I am sure that I will not be the only person to have to fight back the urge to laugh in one of the most touching parts of the piece, when we get a rendition of Crying. I was instantly transported back to the episode of Only Fools And Horses when a cabaret singer was hired by the local gangster to sing at his mother’s birthday party and was under threat of having a few of his bones broken should he not comply. The problem was that he had a speech impediment and couldn’t pronounce the letter R properly. He ended up by performing Cwying! Worry not, the gangster’s mother thought it was a joke specially to please her and the singer got a ‘nice drink’ as well as being able to walk directly home rather than via A & E.
In Dreams is at Leeds Playhouse until 5th August. For more details and to book, please go to https://leedsplayhouse.org.uk/event/in-dreams/
All photographs by Pamela Raith
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