Witches - The Regent Theatre, Stoke-On-Trent
October 7th - 11th
Marti Pellow puts a spell on theatre
Oct 1 2008 by Will Harris, Crewe
Chronicle
Former Wet Wet Wet frontman Marti
Pellow insists it was fairly easy to get into the mindset of musical theatre.
The Scotsman comes to the Regent
Theatre in Hanley next week to take on the lead part of Darryl in the touring
production of The Witches of Eastwick.
The role comes five years after he
first appeared on a theatre stage as Billy Flynn in Chicago, and he says that
the transition was relatively straightforward.
“I'm a romantic and I love great
wordsmiths,” he says. “I never expected to get involved in musicals and it only
happened when I did a gig at the Royal Albert Hall and Ruthie Henshall was in
the audience.
“I saw her after the show and she
encouraged me to think about doing a musical. Then the Chicago people approached
me. The whole subject resonated with me and since I've known a lot of sleazy
lawyers in my time, playing Billy Flynn onŠBroadway and in the WestŠEnd was not
too difficult!"
Of his current part, he says: “To play
Darryl is a real challenge and he has wholly engaged my imagination. He suddenly
appears in this 1950s suburban town of white picket fences and he completely
disturbs it.
“Darryl comes into the lives of these
three women and although he seduces each of them, part of the seduction is
providing a sounding-board for them and contributing to the process of their
empowerment.
“Alex, for instance, has always
believed that she's overweight. Her experience with Darryl helps her realise
that she may be voluptuous but she's also beautiful."
Pellow first came to the attention of
music lovers with Wet Wet Wet, the five-piece formed in the 80s, who recorded
the second longest-running number one in history with the iconic Love Is All
Around in 1994.
In 1999 Pellow quit the band and went
into rehab to battle heroin addiction, but he succeeded in kicking his habit,
and returned to the public eye in 2001 with his debut solo album, Smile.
He says: “What would have happened if
my elder brother, who was supposed to be looking after me, hadn't taken me with
him to see David Bowie as Ziggy Stardust? My father was a labourer and he earned
his living digging in all weathers. If that was the reality, I wanted the make
believe.
“We were canny lads, even at the age of
17 or 18, we knew we should set up our own publishing company.
“I’m now 43 and I'm still searching for
new things to do, things that will take me outside my comfort zone, things like
being on stage in a musical.”
The Witches of Eastwick runs at the
Regent Theatre in Hanley from Tuesday until Saturday, October 11. Shows start at
8pm Tuesday to Thursday, at 5pm and 8.30pm on Friday, October 10, and at 4pm and
8pm on Saturday, October 11. Tickets are £13-£29.50, phone the box office on
0870 060 6649 or visit www.theambassadors.com/regent.
Wets frontman
is devilishly good
LIVE REVIEW by
LOUISE ELLIOTT
THE Witches of
Eastwick, originally a book by John Updike and later a film starring Jack
Nicholson, bounded onto the stage at Stoke's Regent Theatre with the devilishly
handsome Marti Pellow taking the starring role.
And for the many fans of former 80s band Wet Wet Wet, Pellow's portrayal of
Darryl Van Horne was certainly not a disappointment.
Oozing sex appeal, good looks and with his uniquely stunning voice, Pellow's
standing ovations as the curtains went down was well deserved.
Indeed, this is only Pellow's second theatre acting role, having successfully
played lawyer Billy Flynn in the fabulous production of Chicago.
The Witches of Eastwick is set in a sleepy New England town where suburban
streets, bored housewives and inadequate men are the norm - until newcomer Van
Horne appears in town to tantalise and tease the women, three of whom simply
can't refuse his charm and soon fall under his spell.
The musical comedy, which was written in 1984 and first appeared on stage in
2000, making its debut at London's Drury Lane, is a wonderful tale of sexual
frustration, inhibitions and fantasy - brought to life by Pellow whose charm you
just cannot help but fall for.
The three women - Ria Jones as Alexandra Spoffard, Rebecca Thornhill as Sukie
Rougemont and Poppy Tierney as Jane Smart - are all played wonderfully, with
each having their own characteristics. They are all bubbly with fantastic
voices.
The musical score is tremendously uplifting and the stage set beautifully simple
but highly effective. It is colourful with a charm that transports you to the
streets of New England.
The show was a complete sell-out earlier in the week - and not surprisingly so.
For fans of Pellow and Wet Wet Wet this is a must-see show.
For those of you who appreciate great theatre, then this show is devilishly
magical.
Stoke Sounds
Billed as “a hell of a musical”, this is a
Faustian tale about three bored artistic ladies in 1950s small town New England
who conjure up the devil in the shape of Darryl Van Horne (Marti Pellow). Marti
was in fine voice and also did a mean bit of acting, ranging from sex-on-legs to
serpent, although his American accent was less Jack Nicholson, more Fonzarelli.
The stage design is imaginative and there are some clever effects, such as the
cello that kept on playing itself while Darryl was seducing the cellist, and
went into a spin as he gave her what he later said, “came in multiples”.
However, I am certain that the witches were supposed to fly at the end of Act 1
– you could see the wires – but in fact they remained firmly grounded but gamely
waving their arms.
Having seduced all three ladies and turned them into his disciples, the devil
causes murder and mayhem in the small provincial town, but eventual his own
magic is turned against him and he is sent back to the well-heated place he came
from, as the ladies decide that they would rather be sisters doing it for
themselves after all.
The sound levels seemed a bit uneven so that some choral numbers in particular
sounded loud and shrill, but there were some nice duets and solo pieces.
A very enjoyable night out.
The Witches of Eastwick is showing at Stoke's Regent Theatre until tomorrow.
Tickets are available from the box office on 0870 060 6649.
Stoke Sentinel
Review: Gyrating Marti has us under his spell
Wednesday, October 08, 2008, 09:20
The Witches Of Eastwick Regent Theatre, Hanley
THE white picket fence town of Eastwick never stood a chance when the devil
sauntered into town and gave the gossip-mongers something to really talk about.
The release of sexual frustrations, coupled with the gyrating hips of Marti
Pellow's Darryl Van Horne, and the odd cheeky flash of flesh, set the scene for
a hotbed of debauchery, seduction and vengeance.
Based on the 1984 novel by John Updike, and later a Hollywood movie starring
Jack Nicholson, three wronged women in the late 1950s – Alexandra, Sukie and
Jane, played by understudy Samantha Mercer, Rebecca Thornhill and Poppy Herney
respectively– are empowered to lead hedonistic lives in this suffocating small
town until their actions lead to disaster.
Just like Van Horne cast his magic on those around him, Marti Pellow
captivated The Regent's full house and earned his standing ovation at the end.
Vocally, he's still got it, and his seductive, menacing and almost predator-like
mannerisms and expressions (think Jim Carrey's The Mask but far better and not
annoying in the slightest) drew gasps of delight from the audience, setting the
hearts of Wet Wet Wet fans fluttering. Hopefully, those waiting at the stage
door after the show to get a picture of the 80s heartthrob had better luck than
The Sentinel. Due to Mr Pellow's request for picture approval we were
unable to capture the sheer energy and magic that this talented cast and crew
brought to The Regent on its first night.
The audience was drawn into the action straight away with the cleverly
designed slanted scenery. The costumes matched the mood of the cast brilliantly;
as the three women grow bolder, their ensembles became more revealing, while the
bright, preppy 1950s clothing of the locals remained the same, much like their
outlook on life.
The special effects brought a hint of the dark arts to the stage, including
an explosive finish when the devil meets his end. But really, this show didn't
need any gimmicks to put the audience under its spell.
The Witches of Eastwick runs until Saturday at The Regent Theatre. Call the
box office on 0870 060 6649.
Lisa Stocks
