The Drifters Girl - Review

[Coolnotes]

 

This COVID delayed musical was due to open in London some months ago but saw its launch moved to Newcastles Royal Theatre  for three  weeks ahead of a four month run at  the Garrick Theatre from  4th November.

Beverley Knight  has built up an impressive stage repertoire that includes ,  The Bodyguard , Memphis , and Cats . Here she  delivers a performance that is totally convincing as Faye Treadwell ,the  feisty Southern newcomer to the male dominated world of music management . With her husband George  we chart  their role in what proved to be one of the most successful acts  of their age, and their often bewildering line up changes that saw over sixty members come and go and years of litigation over the rights to the name.  Beverley Knight   perfectly captures the determination and confidence Faye would have needed to hold her own in her battles with the record industry  , rival managers , the ego’s of the group and racist bigotry of the age. Yet its not all heartache , there is a tongue  in cheek sense of fun and wit running through this  production which delivers  a high degree of versatility from the four guys who double up in roles such as Ahmet Ertgun and Herb Abramson , Judges , UK promoters and hotel staff, and even  Bruce Forsyth !   I was relieved to see our Bev’   given a number of solo songs which I sensed were written to progress the plot . She delivered these with the sense of passion and professionalism we have come to expect from her, every one warmly applauded by a sell out matinee audience.

 

 

Given the chart success of The  Drifters , you know you are never  going to wait long before they deliver a three minute gem likely to have been crafted by masters of the art   -Lieber and Stoller. I counted at least a dozen. Anyone who came hoping to hear  “Pour Your Little Heart Out “ or “Got to Pay Your Dues” was going to be disappointed .We  were reminded that in the turmoil of litigation over the brand name Faye Treadwell relocated  the Drifters to the UK in the early 1970’s  where they were welcomed with open arms by promoters and audiences. Sadly less so by many provincial  hotels whose racism met sharp rebukes from Mrs Treadwell, and we were given flash card reminders of this legacy and the BLM campaign.

By the time Faye and The Drifters left the UK they had secured 7 chart hits from the pens of British song writers Roger Greenaway and Tony Macaulay. (Which included “Love Games “ , which is no less deserving of being heard at Northern Soul events. ) I’ll avoid any spoilers ,suffice to say Beverley  and the boys deliver an  uplifting tribute  to both The Drifters in all their guises and to  Faye’s story. They close with  rousing finale in front of the band  which brought  most of the audience to its feet   (No easy task given our ages) The Newcastle launch became apparent.  A lot of them , like myself had grown  up on this music and/or had long been fans of Beverley Knight , our own Soul Diva from Wolverhampton. The lack of continuity in the ever changing line ups of the group were never going to be enough to detract from what was an exceptional catalogue  of feel good hits , on the commercial  end of the Soul music spectrum.

Cool Notes 

The Drifters Girl moves to Londons Garrick Theatre to open on 4th November  to Saturday 26th March .

Joining Beverley  Knight will be Tosh Wanogho-Maud (Ben E King), Tarinn Callender (Johnny Moore), Adam J Bernard (George Treadwell) and Matt Henry (Clyde McPhatter)

Running time: 2 hours 20 mins

 

https://www.nimaxtheatres.com/shows/the-drifters-girl/