It is a rare and wonderful thing these days to know before the show begins that the 'celebrity' who is headlining the performance show can actually sing. And boy, can Marti Pellow sing!
Directed by Nikolai Foster, The Witches of Eastwick is a slick and fast paced production based on the John Updike novel and the 1987 film version of the same name. The story centres around the lives of three bored surburban woman who unbeknownst to themselves, are witches. Over a few martinis one day they make a wish for their dream man to appear. That is where Darryl Van Horne arrives, bringing with him a racy and sexual presence that the small, conservative town of Eastwick had never experienced before.
Marti Pellow was adequate as Van Horne. His singing was much better than his acting. At times it was hard to work out exactly what was being said, and he also seemed to slip in and out of his American accent. Another problem was that there were alot of fans of Pellow in the audience. Whilst this is to be expected due to his previous success, it was a constant reminder that it was Marti Pellow acting as Van Horne, rather than actually believing in the character.
The three female leads playing the witches were outstanding. Rebecca Thornhill in particular as Sukie Rougemont was phenominal. All three ladies had powerful voices that hit the right notes, and they were all utterly believeable as they transformed from bored singletons to seductive sultresses. Rachel Izen was also excellent in a supporting role as the matriarchal Felicia Gabriel who doesn't quite fall under Van Hornes charms.
Whilst the songs were very entertaining and very witty, they weren't, for the most part, songs which you would go away humming. Generally they were quite forgettable, but this doesn't mean that they were bad songs. On the contrary, many were very well written and suited the piece exceptionally well. Memorable songs from the show include the very much ensemble driven piece "Dirty Laundry" and "Words, Words, Words".
The set, by Peter McKintosh was very nicely utilised. The clapperboard houses which changed to suit each of the ladies who lived inside, was a nice touch, as was the town hall which when was turned around revealed Van Hornes devilish den. A Bill Kenwright scaled down production this definately was not!
This is one of the best touring productions out there at the minute. It may not be perfect, but the high energy performances from the cast and the witty one liners make you forgive the imperfections. This is not one for the kids, but definately one for the older women - especially if you want to see Marti Pellows sex-face!
Devilishly good - 8/10
The Witches of Eastwick runs at the Liverpool Empire until Saturday April 4th.
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