REVIEW
✭✭✭✭✭ 5/5
THE OSMONDS: A NEW MUSICAL
TUESDAY 26 TO SATURDAY 30 JULY 2022
Cliffs Pavilion SOUTHEND
thecliffspavilion.co.uk
PLUS
Interview with Jay Osmond
✭✭✭✭✭ 5/5
THE OSMONDS: A NEW MUSICAL
TUESDAY 26 TO SATURDAY 30 JULY 2022
Cliffs Pavilion SOUTHEND
thecliffspavilion.co.uk
PLUS
Interview with Jay Osmond
You know that old saying, about never knowing what goes on behind closed doors? Well, it completely resonates with this brand new musical written by someone who really did know, Jay Osmond.
The Osmond family were huge in the 1970s, hailing from Utah in the USA they stormed the UK charts like a hurricane, selling millions of records and winning the hearts of fans around the world. The all singing, dancing, shiny white teeth smiling, Mormon family, managed by their father became global sensations after appearing on the Andy Williams Show in the 1960s as small children. Growing up and moving into their teens and twenties, they developed their own completely different sound, eventually releasing their first hit single, One Bad Apple, performing in sexy black diamanté jumpsuits and henceforth, 'Osmondmania' took hold.
The Osmond Musical tells the story of the family whose lives were shattered from one bad decision. It also gives a huge insight into what went on behind the scenes with a military vet father managing the brothers’ lives, as Jay wryly points out, like the Mormon Von Trapps. Simply put, their lives weren’t all sunshine and rainbows.
The show kicks off with the sound of screaming fans synonymous with any Osmonds’ gig, as the boys bound onto the stage for their first song. The sound and energy that seeps from each of them is jaw droppingly awesome and you know from that moment on that this is going to be one belter of a show.
Seen from the view point of Jay Osmond, played outstandingly by Alex Lodge the show dips in and out of the past and present with some really precious scenes featuring the Osmond brothers as small boys when they first appear on the Andy Williams Show. Fraser Fowkes, Alfie Jones, Harrison Skinner and Tom Walsh play Alan, Wayne, Merrill and Jay for this performance, and my goodness it’s hard not to feel emotional when they sing. These little guys are SO good. The harmonies are spot on and the cute factor shoots off the scale; even more so when we are introduced to young Donny (Osian Salter) who duets You Are My Sunshine beautifully with Andy Williams (Alex Cardall) and Austin Riley who sounds and moves more like Jimmy Osmond than Jimmy Osmond with his fabulous rendition of Long Haired Lover From Liverpool.
Every single member of this cast puts in a committed performance throughout in this cleverly written and directed show. Intertwined between moments of pure joy there are also scenes which will tug the heartstrings, keeping you totally enveloped and invested in the brothers’ journey. Each of the boys have their own issues to deal with, not least Merrill, played by Ryan Anderson, who is desperate to leave the band and marry his girlfriend but torn between upsetting his strict father and ruining the family’s mantra: ‘faith, family and career’. Alex Lodge, Ryan Anderson, Jamie Chatterton, Danny Nattrass and Joseph Peacock as Jay, Merrill, Alan, Wayne and Donny work together like a dream and give their absolute all to each of their roles. Georgia Lennon also gives a lovely performance playing sister, Marie.
The show is really at its best when the brothers are performing and the audience dominated by, (let’s be honest here) ladies of a certain age, can’t get enough of it - arms swaying and whooping to the sight of the brothers singing, sounding and dancing just like the originals. It’s a real testament to the casting talents of the producers and also to director, Shaun Kerrison and choreographer, Bill Deamer that this show is so endearing. I don’t want to say that you could be watching the real Osmonds…. but you actually could. Goosebumps abound, you really do feel transported back in time. It’s an utter and total joy.
With firm favourites such as Down By The Lazy River, One Bad Apple, Let Me In, Having a Party, Puppy Love - a big hit with the audience - Make the World Go Away, Paper Roses, Love Me For a Reason and of course, Crazy Horses, the Osmonds’ story is truly brought to life in this warm and wonderful production.
The show runs all this week at the Cliffs Pavilion with matinees on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.
GRAB YOUR TICKETS NOW, YOU’D BE A CRAZY HORSE TO MISS IT!
Review: Kim Tobin
The Osmond family were huge in the 1970s, hailing from Utah in the USA they stormed the UK charts like a hurricane, selling millions of records and winning the hearts of fans around the world. The all singing, dancing, shiny white teeth smiling, Mormon family, managed by their father became global sensations after appearing on the Andy Williams Show in the 1960s as small children. Growing up and moving into their teens and twenties, they developed their own completely different sound, eventually releasing their first hit single, One Bad Apple, performing in sexy black diamanté jumpsuits and henceforth, 'Osmondmania' took hold.
The Osmond Musical tells the story of the family whose lives were shattered from one bad decision. It also gives a huge insight into what went on behind the scenes with a military vet father managing the brothers’ lives, as Jay wryly points out, like the Mormon Von Trapps. Simply put, their lives weren’t all sunshine and rainbows.
The show kicks off with the sound of screaming fans synonymous with any Osmonds’ gig, as the boys bound onto the stage for their first song. The sound and energy that seeps from each of them is jaw droppingly awesome and you know from that moment on that this is going to be one belter of a show.
Seen from the view point of Jay Osmond, played outstandingly by Alex Lodge the show dips in and out of the past and present with some really precious scenes featuring the Osmond brothers as small boys when they first appear on the Andy Williams Show. Fraser Fowkes, Alfie Jones, Harrison Skinner and Tom Walsh play Alan, Wayne, Merrill and Jay for this performance, and my goodness it’s hard not to feel emotional when they sing. These little guys are SO good. The harmonies are spot on and the cute factor shoots off the scale; even more so when we are introduced to young Donny (Osian Salter) who duets You Are My Sunshine beautifully with Andy Williams (Alex Cardall) and Austin Riley who sounds and moves more like Jimmy Osmond than Jimmy Osmond with his fabulous rendition of Long Haired Lover From Liverpool.
Every single member of this cast puts in a committed performance throughout in this cleverly written and directed show. Intertwined between moments of pure joy there are also scenes which will tug the heartstrings, keeping you totally enveloped and invested in the brothers’ journey. Each of the boys have their own issues to deal with, not least Merrill, played by Ryan Anderson, who is desperate to leave the band and marry his girlfriend but torn between upsetting his strict father and ruining the family’s mantra: ‘faith, family and career’. Alex Lodge, Ryan Anderson, Jamie Chatterton, Danny Nattrass and Joseph Peacock as Jay, Merrill, Alan, Wayne and Donny work together like a dream and give their absolute all to each of their roles. Georgia Lennon also gives a lovely performance playing sister, Marie.
The show is really at its best when the brothers are performing and the audience dominated by, (let’s be honest here) ladies of a certain age, can’t get enough of it - arms swaying and whooping to the sight of the brothers singing, sounding and dancing just like the originals. It’s a real testament to the casting talents of the producers and also to director, Shaun Kerrison and choreographer, Bill Deamer that this show is so endearing. I don’t want to say that you could be watching the real Osmonds…. but you actually could. Goosebumps abound, you really do feel transported back in time. It’s an utter and total joy.
With firm favourites such as Down By The Lazy River, One Bad Apple, Let Me In, Having a Party, Puppy Love - a big hit with the audience - Make the World Go Away, Paper Roses, Love Me For a Reason and of course, Crazy Horses, the Osmonds’ story is truly brought to life in this warm and wonderful production.
The show runs all this week at the Cliffs Pavilion with matinees on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.
GRAB YOUR TICKETS NOW, YOU’D BE A CRAZY HORSE TO MISS IT!
Review: Kim Tobin
Website: TheOsmondsMusical.co.uk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosmondsmusical/
Twitter: @OsmondsMusical
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theosmondsmusical/
Twitter: @OsmondsMusical
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