REVIEW
✭✭✭✭✭ 5/5
Wilko
by Jonathan Maitland
Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch
Billet Lane
Hornchurch
RM11 1QT
8th – 24th February 2024
✭✭✭✭✭ 5/5
Wilko
by Jonathan Maitland
Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch
Billet Lane
Hornchurch
RM11 1QT
8th – 24th February 2024
Wilko - A storming performance of a play
Local Southend man, Wilko Johnson, the eccentric co-founder of the band Dr. Feelgood, is the subject of a play by renowned playwright Jonathan Maitland. The production covers his life, (an excellent performance by Johnson Willis) who is on stage the whole time. He excellently encapsulates Wilko’s quirky delivery and hip jargon. He narrates the story of the man’s life interspersed with flashbacks, as the small cast of actors double up as his bullying dad, his snobbish mother, as well as other incidental characters. Not only that, they provide the live music as the Feelgood band.
There are many disparaging references to Southend and Canvey Island, as well as his drug taking, but all done with humour. Additionally, there are delicate scenes with the love of his life (a gentle performance by Georgina Fairbanks) who later became his wife. However, the scene where he dramatically revealed his love for another woman could have been expanded on. I would have also liked more information about how the band first got together, and about his time in Game of Thrones which gave him a whole new fan base. However, the play couldn’t include everything.
In the first half, the actors launched into a great rocky blues number of Riot on Cell Block 9. This showed Wilko's strange playing style, which evolved from trying to copy Mick Green the guitarist from Johnny Kidd, and the Pirates. The packed house reacted with great enthusiasm and the actors playing the instruments rose to the challenge with Lee Brilleaux well played by Jon House singing, and also playing a mean harmonica.
The play didn’t hold back from showing Wilko as the destructive force that he was, particularly with his ego clash with Brilleaux, which led to him leaving the band. He insisted that songs should be about feelings and reflect their own life, and not be about places in America that no one had ever visited.
As Wilko, Willis explained he joined other bands particularly, Ian Drury and the Blockheads but could not work with them either. This well-constructed play starts with Wilko’s terminal cancer diagnosis and by the second half has come full circle. This event could almost being seen as a career move, as the diagnosis brought him fame. He did a farewell tour including Japan that was a great success and recorded hit music with Roger Daltrey. Having retired after his last performance at Camden Town in 2013, and preparing to die he was given a new lease of life by an operation that cured his cancer.
The play ends with Wilko realizing that he’s still alive, although a recorded message by Wilko himself stated that, he would be, ‘brown bread’ before the opening night. The lights went down and then were suddenly back up, as the Feelgood cast launched into a set. The music rang out as they performed Roxette, She Does it Right, and Going Back Home. The audience was soon on its feet clapping along, leading to a standing ovation.
Having met Wilko a few times, I couldn’t believe how Johnson Willis completely captured his strange quirky delivery and the guitar strut on stage. Although his playing could have been more manic as Wilko was known for his demented on stage performance usually fuelled by Speed. Maitland really captured the Wilko character, using his Literature degree to fill his dialogue with poetic quotes, referencing Shakespeare to Rock ‘n’ Roll, as well as being very funny.
Feelgood are credited with ushering in punk rock but as Wilko says, ‘No, we invented it.’
You don’t need to be a Feelgood aficionado (the band are still touring with a different line up as Lee Brilleaux died in his early forties) to love this play as much as I did. Jonathon Maitland has made us aware of the trials and tribulations of an eccentric star of rock ‘n’ roll, with pathos and humour.
Review – Jacquee Storozynski-Toll
There are many disparaging references to Southend and Canvey Island, as well as his drug taking, but all done with humour. Additionally, there are delicate scenes with the love of his life (a gentle performance by Georgina Fairbanks) who later became his wife. However, the scene where he dramatically revealed his love for another woman could have been expanded on. I would have also liked more information about how the band first got together, and about his time in Game of Thrones which gave him a whole new fan base. However, the play couldn’t include everything.
In the first half, the actors launched into a great rocky blues number of Riot on Cell Block 9. This showed Wilko's strange playing style, which evolved from trying to copy Mick Green the guitarist from Johnny Kidd, and the Pirates. The packed house reacted with great enthusiasm and the actors playing the instruments rose to the challenge with Lee Brilleaux well played by Jon House singing, and also playing a mean harmonica.
The play didn’t hold back from showing Wilko as the destructive force that he was, particularly with his ego clash with Brilleaux, which led to him leaving the band. He insisted that songs should be about feelings and reflect their own life, and not be about places in America that no one had ever visited.
As Wilko, Willis explained he joined other bands particularly, Ian Drury and the Blockheads but could not work with them either. This well-constructed play starts with Wilko’s terminal cancer diagnosis and by the second half has come full circle. This event could almost being seen as a career move, as the diagnosis brought him fame. He did a farewell tour including Japan that was a great success and recorded hit music with Roger Daltrey. Having retired after his last performance at Camden Town in 2013, and preparing to die he was given a new lease of life by an operation that cured his cancer.
The play ends with Wilko realizing that he’s still alive, although a recorded message by Wilko himself stated that, he would be, ‘brown bread’ before the opening night. The lights went down and then were suddenly back up, as the Feelgood cast launched into a set. The music rang out as they performed Roxette, She Does it Right, and Going Back Home. The audience was soon on its feet clapping along, leading to a standing ovation.
Having met Wilko a few times, I couldn’t believe how Johnson Willis completely captured his strange quirky delivery and the guitar strut on stage. Although his playing could have been more manic as Wilko was known for his demented on stage performance usually fuelled by Speed. Maitland really captured the Wilko character, using his Literature degree to fill his dialogue with poetic quotes, referencing Shakespeare to Rock ‘n’ Roll, as well as being very funny.
Feelgood are credited with ushering in punk rock but as Wilko says, ‘No, we invented it.’
You don’t need to be a Feelgood aficionado (the band are still touring with a different line up as Lee Brilleaux died in his early forties) to love this play as much as I did. Jonathon Maitland has made us aware of the trials and tribulations of an eccentric star of rock ‘n’ roll, with pathos and humour.
Review – Jacquee Storozynski-Toll
Photo Credits: Mark Sepple
Performances continue:- 8th – 24th February 2024
Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, Billet Lane, Hornchurch RM11 1QT
All performances from 7th February will be audio described.
Dementia friendly performance on 15th February
£19 – £29.00 | Under 26 £8.00
www.queens-theatre.co.uk | 01708 443333
Running Time: 135 mins (including interval) | Suitable for ages 11+
Social media
Twitter: @QueensTheatreH
Instagram @QueensTheatreHornchurch
Facebook www.facebook.com/QueensTheatreH
#WilkoPlay
Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, Billet Lane, Hornchurch RM11 1QT
All performances from 7th February will be audio described.
Dementia friendly performance on 15th February
£19 – £29.00 | Under 26 £8.00
www.queens-theatre.co.uk | 01708 443333
Running Time: 135 mins (including interval) | Suitable for ages 11+
Social media
Twitter: @QueensTheatreH
Instagram @QueensTheatreHornchurch
Facebook www.facebook.com/QueensTheatreH
#WilkoPlay