It takes a very brave production company to launch a brand new musical in the current economic climate but, if the first night crowd at the Theatre Royal Brighton is any indication, the team behind the new musical version of Happy Days are being handsomely rewarded for their bravery.
The reason that so many people are willing to give a new musical a chance could well be that, although the production is new, the original, and iconic, TV series of Happy Days remains a firm favourite, and it is noticeable that the audience is mainly made up of those who are old enough to have been around in January 1974, the month that the TV show began its 10 year run.
The musical opens with Scott Waugh, as Richie Cunningham, delivering the back story and showing us the social centre of Milwaukee, Arnold’s Diner. Although Scott is making his professional debut in this production, he has a confident stage presence and plays his part incredibly well, with determination and vulnerability at almost equal levels.
So we find ourselves in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1959, the year that, together with Richie, Ralph (Andrew Waldron), Potsie (Jason Winter) and Lori-Beth (Charlie Allen) are about to graduate from Jefferson High School.
They, together with Mr and Mrs Cunningham (James Paterson and Cheryl Baker), Joanie (Emma Harrold), Arnold from the diner (Ray Gardner), Chachi (Eddie Myles) and, of course, Arthur “The Fonz” Fonzarelli, make up a very recognisable team of characters drawn straight from the TV show and, with tremendous attention to detail, each of them is instantly recognisable.
As part of the opening number Richie introduces his family and friends as the diner is soon filled to capacity, with the entire cast performing the opening number Welcome to Wisconsin which, although a new song, is interspersed with the very familiar refrain from the Happy Days theme tune. Although the number itself, like most in the show, is somewhat less than memorable, the dancing is energetic and sharp and the sense of anticipation gradually builds up and, as the final line is delivered, Fonzie arrives.
Now, without wishing to be unkind, in just a few weeks Ben Freeman, who appears in the familiar leather jacket and jeans as the Fonz, will be 34 years old and, much like seeing John Travolta in Grease, it takes a massive suspension of disbelief to see him as a teenager. Having said that, it takes a brave man to step into such hallowed shoes, and his interpretation of the character is spot on.
His love interest in the show is Pinky Tuscadero, played by ex-Sugababe Heidi Range. She arrives with her trusted “Pinkettes”, Lucy Jane Adcock and Katie Monks, and she struts and pouts her way through the performance, exuding just the right amount of, fairly innocent, 1950’s style, sexual tension.
The rest of the cast work hard, not only singing and dancing their way through the show, but also manipulating the, incredibly clever and well designed, set through more than a dozen changes from the inside of the diner to the outdoor picnic at Franklin Park.
Despite a paper-thin storyline and a musical score which is, with a couple of notable exceptions, mostly forgettable “lift music”, overall the production is quite enjoyable. It stays faithful to Garry Marshall’s original creation and it gives the younger members of the audience an opportunity to experience nostalgia just the way that it used to be.
*** Three stars
