SOUTHEND THEATRE SCENE
  • Home
    • About
    • Contact
    • Main feature writer - Kim Tobin
  • COMING UP
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
    • David Streames Interview
    • Daniel O'Donnell
    • Matt Wycliffe Interview - Million Dollar Quartet
    • Ian Anderson - Jethro Tull
    • Tony Stockwell Interview
    • Priscilla Queen of the Desert Tour - Interview with Emma Crossley
    • Phil Walker - Guitar Heroes
    • Rock for Heroes Review
    • Once the Musical - We interview Daniel Healy & Emma Lucia as we are invited to watch the cast rehearse!
    • The Overtones 2019
    • Derren Brown - Showman
    • Stephen K Amos Interview
    • Geoff Norcott INTERVIEW
    • Diversity and Kev Orkian Interviews
    • Giles Cooper talks about Nigel Slater's TOAST
    • Kristian Lavercombe - Riff Raff - Rocky Horror Show
    • Dan Partridge & Martha Kirby talk Grease the Musical
    • Village Green Festival 2019
    • Lee Mead, David Streames & Richard Foster
    • Craig Revel Horwood
    • Jenny Gayner
    • Nigel Slater
    • Alex Bourne Interview - Annie Tour 2019
    • Beverley Craven Interview
    • Gary Barlow and Tim Firth Interview - Calendar Girls
    • Tom Stade 2019 Interview
    • Karen Gibson - The Kingdom Choir
    • AJ Pritchard
    • Jonathan Wrather - The Picture of Dorian Gray - Tilted Wig Productions
    • Kevin Clifton & Graziano Di Prima Interview - Burn the Floor
    • Elesha Paul Moses Interview - Tina Turner - What's Love Got To Do With It?
    • Juliet Mills & Maxwell Caulfield Interview
    • Juliet Mills Interview
    • Holly Liburd - The Bodyguard
    • Alexandra Burke - The Bodyguard
    • Janine Duvitski Interview
    • Matthew Kelly & David Yelland
    • Aled Jones Interview
    • Quadrophenia Live Interview with Doug Freeman
    • Diversity's Ashley Banjo, Jordan Banjo, Perri Kiely & Terry Smith
    • Ali James & James Cranfield
    • Ed Speleers, Mairi Barclay & Adam Lilley
    • Rachel Lumberg & Faye Christall Interview
    • Rain Main - Mathew Horne & Ed Speleers
    • Charles Sharman-Cox
    • Matt Terry & Antoine Murray-Straughan
    • Collabro Road to the Royal Albert Hall Interview
    • Steve Michaels - Elvis
    • Paul Young Interview
    • Joe Pasquale
    • Jersey Boys Interview
    • Colin Blunstone - The Zombies
    • Dave Kelly - The Blues Band
    • Clive John - Johnny Cash Roadshow
    • Paul Opacic & Richard Walsh
    • Vincent Simone & Flavia Cacace
    • Alexander O'Neal Interview
    • Kevin Whately - Our Finest Hour
    • Jenny Eclair - Grumpy Old Women Tour
    • Séan Aydon - Great Expectations
    • Joe McElderry Live in Concert
    • Nichola McAuliffe Interview
    • Natalie Anderson & Jonathan Halliwell
    • Geoff Norcott Interview
    • Mark Steel - Comedian Interview
    • Debra Stephenson & Alice Barlow
    • Dr Feelgood's Kevin Morris
    • Ali James Interview - Oh Yes It Is!
    • Tom Stade Interview
    • Sarah Earnshaw - Nativity the Musical
    • Karina Jones - Wait Until Dark
    • The Stylistics
    • Tom Chambers & Charlotte Wakefield
    • Jessie Wallace - Deathtrap
    • Paul Bradley - Deathtrap
    • George Kemp - The Wipers Times
    • Joe McElderry - Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
    • Ian Hislop & Nick Newman - The Wipers Times
    • Chris Simmons, All or Nothing the Musical
    • Caroline Flack, Tom Chambers Interview
    • Ruth Madoc
    • Scott Reid - Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time
    • Samuel Clemens, Director
    • Elizabeth Elvin
    • Ray Cooney - Out of Order
    • Susie Amy
    • Sue Holderness
    • Shaun Williamson
    • Carrie Hope Fletcher & Oliver Ormson
    • Geoff Norcott
    • Navi - King of Pop
    • Damian Williams Interview
    • Carrie Hope Fletcher Interview
    • Samantha Womack Interview
    • Les Dennis Interview
    • Clive Mantle - The Verdict
    • Stephen Bailey Interview
    • Steve Hackett Interview
    • Alastair Whatley - The Original Theatre Company
    • Paul Carrack Interview
    • Janine Johnson - Back to Bacharach Interview
    • Lewis Griffiths - Dirty Dancing
    • Ben Portsmouth Elvis Tribute
    • Paul Nicholls - Shawshank Redemption
    • Anne Odeke - Night Must Fall
    • Elaine Paige
    • Jimmy Osmond - Christmas Extravaganza
    • Brian Conley & Gok Wan
    • Jonathan Kiley - Qdos Pantomine Producer
    • Lee Mead - Some Enchanted Evening
    • Maximum Rhythm & Blues
    • Joe McElderry - Northern Light Tour
    • Carol Harrison - All or Nothing
    • Paul Cattermole - The Rocky Horror Show
    • Tommy Steele
    • Cheryl Baker - Formerly of Bucks Fizz
    • Gabrielle Cocca from Cats the Musical
    • PJ Proby Interview
    • Ashleigh & Pudsey - Mission ImPudseyble
    • I'm Cold - Alex Thorn
    • Mon Amie - supporting Jason Donovan
    • Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
    • Richard Ede - The 39 Steps
    • Collabro
    • The Searchers
    • Fanny Galore
    • Paul Carrack
    • Rose Marie
    • Gary Wilmot, Noel Sullivan, Carley Stenson
    • Megan Terry
    • Sharon Rose - Little Eva in West End's Beautiful
    • Roy Chubby Brown - Britain's Rudest Comedian
    • Fascinating Aida's Dillie Keane
    • Ben Portsmouth - Elvis Tribute Artist
    • Ugly Sisters, Martin Ramsdin & David Robbins - Cinderella
    • Lauren Hall (Cinderella)
    • Michael Harrison, West End Producer
    • Brian Conley
    • Sharon Rose - X Factor
    • The Bodyguard - Zoe Birkett Interview
    • Alex Bourne (Daddy Warbucks)
    • Michael Corbidge Royal Shakespeare Company
    • Ashton Moore - Samson
    • Joe Pasquale
    • Phill Jupitus
    • Michael Sharp Playwright
    • Ray Cooney OBE
  • MUSIC
  • YOUTUBE
  • Features
    • Echoes From Essex
    • Immersive Actor Training
    • Afternoon Tea at the Cliffs Pavilion
    • N-Act Theatre Stage - Village Green
    • Chameleon Productions
    • Sheku Kanneh-Mason
    • Aladdin - Panto Cast Announcement
    • Sounds Familiar Music Quiz
    • N-Act Theatre in Schools
    • Ray Cooney comes to see Lindisfarne perform his play
    • Theatre Etiquette
    • Leigh Operatic & Dramatic Society's Backstage Crew
Picture
STRICTLY STARS ALJAZ & JANETTE PAY TRIBUTE TO FRED ASTAIRE IN SPECTACULAR NEW THEATRE SHOW
Cliffs Pavilion
Sunday 7th May 2017
​7.30pm

Remembering Fred, starring Strictly Come Dancing couple, Aljaz Skorjanec and Janette Manrara, is styled as if it were  a radio broadcast. As the lights on the Cliffs Pavilion stage dim, our host of the evening, David Page, bounces on to the stage and an air of anticipation is created, with a count-down to the radio show going 'live'. Michael Ball's voice is heard through the blackness (is it me, or is he in or on everything these days?) and he introduces us to Fred Astaire ‘fans’, such as Darcey Bussell, Ava Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Gene Kelly, Irving Berlin, Twiggy, Don Black and Bruce Oldfield, amongst others, who talk about how the screen icon touched their lives and what made him so special throughout his 60 year career.

Featuring a live band on stage, the show kicks off with the iconic Top Hat and it's not long before Aljaz and Janette suddenly appear as if by magic on the staircase balcony to show off those wonderful dance moves, which despite having seen numerous times on Strictly Come Dancing on the tv, cannot be beaten by being seen with your own eyes.  

Having been lucky enough to get front row seats for the Southend show, we were really able to appreciate the hard work that goes into these routines; yet Aljaz and Janette perform every fluid move they make with such ease and grace they make it look easy.  The flirty Aljaz even has time to give us lucky gals in the front row a little wink as he whizzes Janette past our eyes! This man is seriously good looking and Janette is endearingly beautiful, with so much energy in such a tiny frame which completely belies her strength.  Together, you really can appreciate how they have become two of the world's greatest dancers; they have such sophistication, poise and passion in their routines. 

​The way Aljaz looks at Janette while they are dancing just melts your heart and it's no surprise to learn, later in the show, that the couple will be getting married this summer.  In a section of the show where the pair are interviewed, we learn a little more about the couple's lives and careers which gives Aljaz a chance to show us what a great sense of humour he has, joking with the audience about how he grew up in Southend and how nice it is to return.  What is abundantly clear to see is just how bloomin' nice they both are and how much fun they are having at this moment in their careers.  They are full of praise for the Strictly team, of which they have been a part of for four years, after initially meeting each other in the musical Burn the Floor.

The show features a fabulous supporting cast, who not only sing but dance and tap their way through some of the great numbers in the show  including They Can’t Take That Away From Me, Night & Day, S’Wonderful, Cheek To Cheek, Puttin' On The Ritz, Let’s Face The Music & Dance, The Way You Look Tonight, Top Hat, White Tie & Tail.  With David Page acting as host, he is joined by the exceptionally talented Alistair Crosswell, Scott Coldwell, Charlie Bruce, Veronica Fulton and Miranda Wilford who take turns to sing, tap and dance through their own numbers as well as accompanying Aljaz and Janette throughout the evening.

Highlights for me included, Cheek to Cheek, Night and Day, A Fine Romance, The Continental and a fab drum and tap routine from Alistair Cresswell at the top of Act 2 which received a well deserved cheer from the audience.

Remembering Fred celebrates the legacy of one of Hollywood’s true screen legends and entertainers and I'm sure that 'Moaning Minnie', as Fred Astaire's sister used to call him, would be full of praise for this wonderful homage to him and to the hard work and dedication that has been put into this production.  Complete with some fabulous costumes, changes of which there are many, great songs and a sense of reminiscing for days gone by, this show really is a perfect opportunity for some romantic escapism.  
Picture
As Aljaz & Janette themselves state, "Fred Astaire is an inspiration to every dancer we know.  And just like Fred, we will be doing it big, doing it right and doing it with style!"  I couldn't put it better myself!

​

The fifty-date tour began on Friday, 7th April, 2017, at Blackpool’s Opera House and will end on Saturday, 3rd June at Truro’s A Hall For Cornwall. 
​

For more info go to www.rememberingfred.co.uk
Review: Kim Tobin
Picture
Picture
Picture

Home

About

MUSIC

INTERVIEWS

FEATURES

Copyright © 2015