FIVE GUYS NAMED MOE, Jordan, Peters, Leicester till 16 Feb, touring UK till A

Leicester

FIVE GUYS NAMED MOE: Songs Louis Jordan, Author Clarke Peters
Haymarket: Tkts 0116 253 9797
Runs: 2h 10m, one interval, till 16 Feb then on tour till beginning of August 2002, details www.5guysnamedmoe.co.uk
Review: Rod Dungate, 5February 2002

High-octane musical theatre, wonderful songs, red-hot choreography, feet tap and bums wriggle
FIVE GUYS NAMED MOE – a high-octane musical – starts a major UK tour. This is the hugely successful Broadway and London, West End Cameron Mackintosh show and every second of its success is justly earned.

The wonderful songs of Louis Jordan are beautifully performed by the company and ensure feet are tapping and bums are wriggling (or writhing or both).

As is the case with compilation musicals the story is slight. In this one, young Nomax is blue – his woman has left him: five guys appear (apparently out of the radio) and teach him that he is the reason the woman has left – yep, because he treats her bad. Clarke Peters (the writer) hangs the songs on this framework with panache and introduces some sharp comic moments.

Early on the list of notable numbers is Brother Beware – an unfashionably chauvinistic song shared among the company with great good humour. I challenge anyone to be offended. And anyway, 4 Eyes Moe (on the night I saw it, stunningly played by stand-in Tee Jay) rightly puts the record straight in the second half. He also sings this to three women volunteered from the audience.

The show, or perhaps the performers, really seem as if they are rocket-fuel powered. But if their singing isn't enough for you, there is red-hot choreography that reaches white heat with these dynamic guys. I don't know about them, but I was gasping with delighted exhaustion by the end of the first half.

Moments of audience participation (when I expected someone at any moment to shout 'Look out he's behind you') go on a bit and the energy level falters.

Nevertheless, this is one hell of a party and might well be retitled Five Sexy Guys Called Moe and One More Who Eventually Becomes Sexy.

Cast:
Delroy Atkinson
Julian Cannonier
Paul Hazel
George Daniel Long
Colin Roy
Marvin Springer

Director and Choreographer: Charles Augins
Musical Director: Kevin Fitzsimmons
Designer: Tim Goodchild
Lighting: Andy Bridge
Costumes: Noel Howard
Sound: Nick Lidster

2002-02-06 10:20:56