For those who have yet to see it, Return to the Forbidden Planet is very loosely based on Shakespeare’s The Tempest (with a few lines stolen from his other works thrown in), bound together with some massive hits of the sixties and a cast of crazy characters who we join aboard a spaceship. Sounds like complete madness? Well, it is, but then that is really the whole point of the show.
I have to confess that this is not one of my favourite jukebox musicals, as I have always struggled to get my head around the appeal of Shakespeare, however, Chris Jordan’s production has something about it that makes it very appealing and that seems to stem from the fact that, amid all the mayhem, what really shines through are the excellent performances from the supremely talented performers, all of whom are perfectly cast.
Andrew Gallo takes the helm as Captain Tempest, the super suave spaceman, with Jane Milligan as the Science Officer with a secret, Steve Simmonds as Bosun Arras, Dan De Cruz as the Navigation Officer, Tom Connor as Damage Control and the incredible Mark Newnham as Cookie.
After they get caught in a tractor beam, forcing them to crash land on a strange planet we meet the baddie of the piece. Matt Devitt plays Dr Prospero and is suitably wacky and wide-eyed with Grace Lancaster as his beautiful daughter Miranda. They are accompanied by Frido Ruth who deserves an award for staying on his feet as Arial the roller-skating robot and for delivering a heart-felt portrayal of this surprisingly lovable character.
The set is loosely based on many sci-fi shows with cosmic clusters of flashing lights and projected images helping to create the intergalactic atmosphere and just before the interval the entrance of the space monster with whom the cast battle, is totally tongue-in-cheek and very amusing, reminding me of those corny American science fiction shows of my childhood.
The star of the show has to be the tremendous back catalogue of million selling hits including Wipeout, Great Balls of Fire, Telstar, Good Vibrations, Teenager in Love, She’s Not There, Who’s Sorry Now, Only The Lonely, The Young Ones – and even The Monster Mash, all played live on stage by the cast.
Interchanging their instruments with frightening rapidity, they all play percussion, keyboards, brass and strings – sometimes sharing instruments or even changing them mid-song in well rehearsed and choreographed moves that take incredible skill and timing.
Director Chris Jordan and the creative team behind the show should be proud of their highly entertaining, comical and uplifting production, if only for the fact that they have helped me move a few steps closer to enjoying a show that I have previously struggled to embrace.
**** Four Stars