It’s the summer of ’63 and a young Marie, played by Elizabeth Carter, is allowed on her parent free holiday with her sister Jennifer.
And where better for a first girls holiday than to a caravan in Lowestoft?! Except these girls are in luck when they realise an American Air Force base only a couple of miles out of town.
Save The Last Dance For Me is exactly what you would expect from a Jukebox musical – ironically or un-ironically there is even one on the stage.
The songs are churned out at break neck speed with hit after hit from the early 60’s pleasing the audiences ears.
Chart toppers such as Sweets For My Sweet and Viva Las Vegas are all included in the mix and the audience are whipped down memory lane leaving them toe tapping and singing along with every word.
The cast are young and energetic and give an excellent performance with the material given. The singing are confident and competent and it is palpable to the audience.
Carter is very good at pulling off the sweet 17, never been kissed, girl that’s falling in love. Her voice matches the character perfectly as she croons this magic moment and teenager in love.
A fatal flaw in a lot of these type of shows with pre written songs is that the plot is too thin – however this is not the case with Save The Last Dance For Me. It’s lighthearted, emotional and something that the audience can connect with.
The fact that the band is on stage whilst also forming part of the cast gives the production a little more pizzazz. It’s refreshing to be able to see these musicians at work instead of in the pit and something the audience found very enjoyable.
Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran have used their agreeable working partnership with Bill Kenwright to bring this performance to the stage. It is perhaps a little lazy at times with large chunks of the show set in a dance hall for the American troops. This improves in the second act, which is noticeably better than the first.
However the vast majority of the audience came for the music and a trip down memory lane. For fans of the 60’s, Save The Last Dance For Me is perfect.