Lipstick On Your Collar,
Theatre Severn
Friday 14th July 2023
For music nostalgia buffs or anyone who was born in the 1940’s then this might be the show for you. Blazing its way through the back catalogue of all the greats, “Lipstick on Your Collar,” promised to provide a great evening out with hits from Elvis, The Isleys, Brenda Lee, The Beatles, Little Richard, Big Bopper, Jerry Lee Lewis and so many more it is a show that is packed with utter promise.
However, this wasn’t all plain sailing. There are many areas where this show, needs maybe a change or two. The band’s backline was amazing. Comprising Drums. Guitars, Rhythm and Lead, Bass Double and Electric and a Grand Piano. There was also a brass section in the shape of the multi-instrumentalist band member. In fact, before I go much further, I can say that these guys can really play. There is a ton of talent on the stage. They can sing and play, and their musicality is superb, right on the money.
The pianist stood out for this reviewer, he was excellent; he could sing in at least 3 octaves and his playing was second to none. I believe he must have been born playing the piano. Yes, an uncomfortable birth but worth it for the sake of showbiz. I feel he may go far.
So, on stage there was a great band of musicians the beat was infectious from the first note of Duane Eddy’s, “Rebel Rouser,” through to the last note of the encore! A tight band who seemed to have worked together for a while and their happiness to perform came across.
The female vocalist was OK in middle ground but sadly didn’t have the voice to bring a lot of the songs over successfully. For enthusiasm and audience communication she gets full marks but not a total unblotted score card on some of the bigger songs. There was also a disingenuous arrival on stage, whereby she picked out imaginary friends in the audience and waved and pointed at them. It was hard to see it as genuine and at worst nothing more than a little schmaltzy! But hey this is showbiz!
The boys’ vocals were tight and strong. The pianist sang beautifully when we were allowed to hear him. But the show was dogged by a poorly mixed sound. At one time the saxophone was blazing away on stage and the audience could hear, not one note. Sometimes vocals were lost in the ether as a screaming guitar would drown out any chance of the human voice to penetrate and one was aware that in a harmony one mic might be stronger than the other and that makes for a poor unbalanced sound and can make or break or show. More often, than not, the sound guys got it right, but there were bloopers.
One enjoyed the fascinating film clips of old tv adverts and the American Dream appearing on a screen on the back sky cloth. It was really engaging and thoroughly enjoyable.
One must take hats off to the designer of the lighting accompaniment. It was superb and a lot of thought had gone into the design and execution of the lighting plot. Great to see.
Overall, one would say much of the utterly packed house however loved it and the majority were having a ball. There will be several however that might agree with me and may conclude that this isn’t a cracker-box tied up in a pink bow; one saw it as more of a work in progress.
This is a Three Star Review
Sofia Lewis
Sofia is a successful playwright living in Shrewsbury. After graduating from Wolverhampton University in theatre. Sofia went on to become an actor and film maker. Her first play was published in 2015 and her plays have been seen all around the world. She is also the instigator of the popular concerts, The Sound Of Shrewsbury Folk. She has been writing with loveshrewsbury for 13 years and loves Theatre Severn and all she sees there.
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