The Bowie Show- Nottingham Royal Court and Concert hall, anonymous dancers! Created and directed by Simon Gwilliam. Produced by John Dalston and Simon Gwilliam
This was the second date on the show’s nine date soft opening provincial tour prior to the West End. The tour itself is ambitious, taking in several prestige UK venues .
What is it? It is not a platform for a tribute . It is presented as a musical juke box, with no narration and only incidental voice overs.
The primary problem facing any Bowie show is that his career lasted half a century. That creates an obvious casting problem. The 2022 Cher Musical revue had the same difficulty. Their solution was three Chers, The Bowie Show takes the same strategy and has three Bowies, but in two genders. This has enormous advantages in presenting the songs which they capitalise upon in some style.
However the star of the show is not one of the live performers, but instead backdrop video screens which provide a superb, creative supporting montage throughout the evening further avoiding the need for onstage props.
Supporting the onstage musicians are a troupe of dancers utilising a three level stage recreating a video feel- particularly efffective during “Ashes to Ashes”.
I am not going to provide a setlist, there needs to be some surprises when you see the show for yourself. Instead I shall pick out some personal highlights.
The three Bowies are all effective in the role. Having a female Bowie (Sian Crowe) is a masterstroke ,greatly enhancing most of the originals, she sets the tone with the inevitable opening “Space Oddity” and never relents, her poignant, plaintiff vocal part in her duet with Elliot Rose made “Absolute Beginners” the highlight of the second half. She looked stunning in a little black skater dress and courts- an outfit that David would have liked for himself! Rose is dynamic and energetic , at his best on “Rebel Rebel”
The surprise highlight of the first half was a barnstorming, dirty, rocking , “Cracked Actor”, from ace axe woman Laura Browne, emulating Mick Ronson and Earl Slick at their best ( and better looking too!) . The long haired, long limbed, Greg Oliver visually appears discordant on first appearance but offers compelling interpretations of the originals and is the perfect trio companion.
The electronic visual backdrops are integral to the show, courtesy of Billy Gwilliam. Its finest moment is for “Wild is the Wind” which is reimagined as a James Bond film theme – Crowe’s soaring vocals are perfectly underpinned by a rich, swelling soaring visual montage and a suitably floaty windswept dress.
Costuming is idiosyncratic, the band are “Backdrop dressed” while the dancers have often inspired costumes, the platform booted skinhead is hilarious.
While Billy Gwilliam impressed visually, so Alex Turney does a fine job as musical director and keyboard player. The arrangements, and rearrangements, are solid and convincing, Drummer Billy Stookes and bass player Dave Rice succeed with the fiendishly difficult time signatures in “Ashes to Ashes” and Damon Oliver defines “Absolute Beginners” with his sublime sax part ( assorted wind elsewhere). The sound was excellent. Loud when it needed to be but distinct and separated on the quieter numbers never drowning out the vocals. There were moments when backing vocals needed to be more prominent but that sort of detail will resolve itself as the tour progresses.
Catch the Bowie Show at: Buxton/ Glasgow/ Guilford/ Bath/Bournemouth/ Leicester / Northampton and London West End lyric theatre up to mid February.25.
A hugely enjoyable show, and a must or all Bowie fans
For more information on the tour: https://thebowieshow.com/
For more Bowie Chat, views and opinions, Bowie Fascination:
Garyswordz 