I write regular theatre reviews, features and interviews and reflect on my previous/current work on the stage.
Wednesday, 13 November 2013
Review of The Opinion Makers. Derby Theatre.
The Opinion Makers by Brian Mitchell & Joseph Nixon is playing at Derby Theatre from 13th - 23rd November and I highly recommend you grab your self a ticket or two for this fast paced and very funny musical show!
The Opinion Makers is directed by Daniel Buckroyd (Artistic Director of Mercury Theatre, Colchester), and this is co-production between Mercury Theatre, Colchester and Derby Theatre.
This new musical theatre show pokes satirical fun at the world of market research that was beginning rise dramatically through mass branding and rebranding in the 1960s. The world of advertising can be a truly fickle business. That product which is a hot hit may be freezing cold within a short period of time as brands chase out their competition through means foul and fair. Such a precarious way of making a living is ripe for satire and creators Brian Mitchell & Joseph Nixon have great fun making fun of the incompetent comical characters that people the fictional Fearnby marketing company plus others.
The hilarious cast often double up as another character with Julie Atherton as Mrs Campbell/Peregrine, David Mounfield as Mr Campbell/Donaldson, Daniel Boys as Penhall/Abramowitz, Justin Edwards solely as Mr Fearnsby, Stacey Ghent and Benjamin Stratton as actor/musicians and Mel Giedroyc as Lassiter/Migraine. There is also a super four person band featuring Dave Bernard, Adrian Oxaal, Fraser Patterson and Justin Shaw on drums.
The main action, comedy, song and dance takes place in a down beat London based marketing office in the 1960s but within a blink of an eye we are suddenly in several other venues through the manipulation of some simple but clever set pieces. The show is influenced by the comedy styles of the Carry On films and those typically British and satirical films by the Boulting Brothers.
Mel Giedroyc has some super funny moments as she lusts after her boss Mr Fearnby (Justin Edwards) and Julie Atherton is terrific as the feisty American Mrs Campbell constantly chasing the buck and the men with the bucks. This musical comedy has great ensemble work and all of the cast work well to bring out the fun and energy in this musical tale that pokes fun at the prospect of focus groups, the thought that the USA is bigger and better than the UK, that a computer is fast because it only takes four days to collect and churn out data and the luxury of teletype. So pop along to Derby Theatre and find out whether Doctor Campbell's Lotion is worth re-branding and have great nostalgic 1960s fun night in doing so.
http://www.derbytheatre.co.uk/opinion-makers
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