August 23rd - September 6th
By Patrick Marmion
Love is all around once more for Marti Pellow. The former Wet Wet Wet frontman - a bit more grizzled than in his days as a pop heart-throb - has been deliciously reborn as a raffish American medallion man in this touring, musical version of the Jack Nicholson film, based on the John Updike novel.
You may recall it: it's the one about a libidinous devil bringing sweet surrender to the sexually frustrated ladies of Eastwick, a small, sleepy town in New England in the Fifties.
The Witches of Eastwick: Love is all around
Pellow revels in his role, stalking the stage like a sex-mad rooster. Glorying in the name of Darryl van Horne, he upends the lives of three bored and exceedingly desperate housewives, who fall hook line and sinker for his voodoo charms.
It must be said that Pellow has pretty much the same effect on the women in the audience, who succumbed en masse to his hip-thrusting, tongue-waggling and innuendo-laden performance. Playing the leading ladies, Ria Jones, Rebecca Thornhill and Poppy Tierney are a delight, too, dragging the tone of Sex In The City out into the countryside and taking it bareback riding.
Verdict: Absolutely diabolical - in a good way
****
The Witches of Eastwick
EMMA LEE
28 August 2008
Norwich Theatre Royal
There's magic in the air at Norwich Theatre Royal… could it be something to do
with the Witches of Eastwick being in town?
In a coup for the venue, it has been chosen to premiere the new version of the
musical, first seen in the West End eight years ago.
And surely it's heading back there - this devilishly good show has hit written
all over it.
Directed by Nikolai Foster, chart-topping singer Marti Pellow (in fine voice)
leads the cast and makes the role of Darryl Van Horne his own.
Based on the film, which starred Jack Nicholson, Michelle Pfeiffer, Susan
Sarandon and Cher, it's a cautionary - and saucy - story of being careful what
you wish for.
When three desperate housewives (played by Ria Jones, Rebecca Thornhill and
Poppy Tierney) cast a spell to summon the man of their dreams, it swiftly
becomes a nightmare when the devilish Darryl Van Horne turns up, setting
curtains twitching and corrupting Eastwick's orderly white picket-fence world.
Pellow's performance as the baddie who it's impossible to resist is captivating
- he really owns the stage. And the 'Witches' make a great team with faultless
vocal harmonies.
The quirky set is a nice nod to visionary film director Tim Burton, and as well
as some showstopping song-and-dance numbers - and even some pyrotechnics - the
script is fizzing with naughty one-liners.
Our verdict? Spellbinding.
The Witches of Eastwick is at the Norwich Theatre Royal until Saturday September
6. For latest availability, phone 01603 630000 or visit
www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk.