EntertainmentTheatreTours

Stand By Me at the Grove Theatre Dunstable Review

standbymeStand By Me
Grove Theatre, Dunstable

29 October 2016

www.grovetheatre.co.uk

Reviewed by Amanda Browne

Last night (Saturday 29 October 2016) we went to the Grove Theatre in Dunstable to see Stand by Me. The Grove is a theatre situated in the heart of Dunstable, with good parking and surrounding facilities. We collected our tickets from the Box Office situated just inside the door. Our seats were good, nice and close to the stage. It was a very mixed audience, we could see children from around age ten right through the ages!

The show is a narration of the life times of the group ‘The Drifters’. It takes you through their formation, the fact so many members came and went, they were drafted into the army and the many troubles they struggled through to get where they were. For me, who knew little of their background it was a real eye opener. There are few props but the backdrop centre stage shows real life pictures of the times and the group. The opening number ‘Stand by Me’ set the tone, the ‘Drifters’ were supported by three female singers, plus the band. It was a fantastic start. Their story was told by a narrator and the songs took you through from that start of their careers from their first hit ‘Money Honey’ though the 50’s and into the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and even 90’s. All the favourites were there; There Goes My Baby, Under the Boardwalk, Some Kind of Wonderful and Up on the Roof.

The singing was outstanding, the girls ably supported the guys, with some lovely costume changes! And numerous tunes of the times ‘Sweets for my Sweets’ standing out for me. There was a section which was a real celebration of the 60’s, which had us all clapping along and swaying in our seats. The best was saved until last and the audience were all on their feet for ‘Saturday night at the movies’, ‘Sisters and Brothers’ and ‘There goes my First Love’. I thoroughly enjoyed the show, it lacked a little atmosphere in the first half, but by the end we certainly wanted more. The voices of all were outstanding. An enjoyable evening out.

Rating: 4/5

Stand By Me is currently on tour around the UK. For more information and tour dates visit www.standbymerevue.com.

For other shows at the Grove Theatre in Dunstable visit www.grovetheatre.co.uk.

Grove Theatre, Grove Park, Court Drive, Dunstable, LU5 4GP | 01582 602080

4 Star

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