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Buddy, The Buddy Holly Story
Presented by:
Live Theatre Productions
Venue:
The Palms at
Crown
Reviewer: Simon Parris
Date Reviewed: Friday 26th June, 2009
More than
fifteen years after the original Australian staging, Buddy is back
to entertain new generations of fans. The Palms at Crown is an ideal
venue for the return Melbourne season of The Buddy Holly Story, with
the climactic act one and two concert scenes suiting the space
perfectly.
 Similar
musical biographies have subjects whose careers spanned decades, so
it is incredible to think that Buddy Holly achieved so much success
across only three years. His catalog is an embarrassment of riches
for the writers of this show. All his hit songs, such as That’ll Be
The Day, Peggy Sue, Everyday, Oh Boy and Rave On, are featured in
the show as well as those of his contemporaries Ritchie Valens (La
Bamba) and J. P. ‘The Big Bopper’ Richardson (Chantilly Lace).
Holly
(Scott
Cameron)
breaks free of the shackles of the country and western sound to
trailblaze into the burgeoning new world of rock’n’roll. Producer
Norman
Petty (Gerard Carroll) sets Buddy Holly and the Crickets on the path
to massive success. Sounding so much like a ‘coloured’ band, the
appearance of the lily-white Crickets shocks the proprietors of
Harlem’s Apollo Theatre. Holly meets and marries Maria Elena (Laura
Bunting), splits from the Crickets and joins Valens (Flip Simmons)
and Richardson (Luke Tonkin) on tour.
On 3rd
February 1959, a plane crash took the lives
Holly,
Valens
and Richardson. Despite being ‘the day the music died’, the music
still lives on through this energetic, enjoyable show. It is a
toe-tapping smorgasbord of hits that frequently has the audience
clapping along.
Cameron
is a sensational young talent, perfectly cast as
Holly. Apart
from the uncanny physical resemblance, he is an absolutely brilliant
guitarist and his playing is one of the main reasons to see the
show.
Cameron
brings out the drive and youthful exuberance of
Holly
and yet delivers his lines in an understated, subtle manner. He is
also a natural singer who delivers song after song with apparent
ease.
Cameron, already a ‘veteran’ performer at 22, clearly has a long and
successful career ahead.
With only four
brief, but significant, scenes, Bunting makes a strong impression as
the passionate
Maria
Elena
and brings great dignity to the role. Ballarat’s
Tonkin is a
hoot as the Big Bopper. Simmons plays the crowd for all he’s worth
as Valens. James Nation-Ingle (Joe, on double bass) and Simon
Bentley (Jerry, on drums) lend great support as the Crickets, and,
as with
Cameron,
prove themselves to be accomplished musicians. The entire cast
appear to be having a ball and are all used to great effect in the
Clear
Lake
concert.
Set in front
of a giant concertina collage of pop art, the show, as designed by
Christopher Smith, flows smoothly with set pieces gliding in and out
as needed.
Musical
Director
Peter Laughton
has created an authentic sound from his all-singing/all-playing
cast. Director Craig Ilott has the done the best he can with the
leaden book. Fortunately, all is forgiven in the fantastic final
35-minute concert scene, which leaves the audience on their feet
wanting more.
Buddy will be
rocking the Palms at Crown until 9th August. Bookings are
through Ticketek
http://premier.ticketek.com.au/
Simon has
appeared in about 40 productions over the past thirty years. Recent
roles include Uncle Henry/Guard of the Gate in The Wizard of Oz
(Catchment) and Eugene Fodor in Crazy for You (Whitehorse). Other
favourite roles include Mr Fox in Mack and Mabel, Max in The Sound
of Music, Freddy in My Fair Lady, Julio in Paint Your Wagon,
Marcellus in The Music Man and Grantaire in Les Miserables.
Simon has
directed several school productions. Recently he choreographed
Urinetown and Little Shop of Horrors for St Michael’s Grammar
School. He is currently directing Hot Mikado for St Michael’s, to be
staged at the Athenaeum Theatre in May.
Simon has served
on the Music Theatre Guild of Victoria Committee for five years, and
is currently Treasurer. He is also a keen audience member, having
seen over 50 shows in five weeks on a recent trip to New York and
London.
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