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BACKBEAT (musical)
Ends 18th February 2012.
CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE AND ADULT SCENES. NOT SUITABLE FOR THOSE AGED
UNDER 15 OR THE EASILY OFFENDED. Those sensitive to cigarette smoke
should also be aware that smoking takes place on stage.
Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, Best and Sutcliffe went from Liverpool to
Hamburg between 1960 and 1962. Three men became stars...
Rock hits including "Twist & Shout" and "Please Mr Postman" are
performed live in this exploration between friends Lennon and Sutcliffe,
and Sutcliffe's photographer girlfriend Astrid.
Adapted from the 1994 film of the same name.
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The monkey hasn't seen the film, so can't compare it - but if it were to hazard
a guess, it thinks it would be pretty bleak. This is not a cuddly piece. Raw
passion, loud songs (this isn't a "Beatles" tribute, so don't expect more than
one number from them) and louder social change mark the shaping of a bunch of
young men in Hamburg. Better than that, the Beatles are a bit of a sideshow to
the story of a young man in love with a photographer and learning about life.
Set that against the development of probably the most famous band in history and
this is a well crafted work that falls somewhere between musical and "play with
music."
Add decent direction by David Leveaux, and a bunch of talented actors who
(sorry) don't look much like the 4 - a good thing, as it further heightens the
theme of "moulding" and this is of interest to any adult wishing to find out
more about the era in which music took a great stride forward.
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