Ad-gifted
The Drifters Girl is bringing the throwback tunes to Manchester. With hits like ‘Saturday Night At The Movies’, ‘Fools Fall In Love’, ‘Stand By Me’ and ‘Come On Over To My Place’, you’re bound to have a ball.
As a 30-odd year old, I was brought up with these smooth sounds filling my household but I otherwise had no idea who The Drifters actually were. Well, I was in luck, because this musical is an education.
Don’t forget to read my review of Titanic the Musical
The whole story
We’re taken right back to the beginning, to Faye Treadwell (LOREN ANDERSON), who finds herself a job in the music industry, soon fighting for a group she had the biggest ambitions for.
Faye was the world’s first African American, female music manager. A strong-willed and intelligent lady who, not surprisingly given the era, struggled to be respected and recognised. LOREN really brought that fire and grit to the character. Faye is an inspiration and it’s exciting to see a whole musical raising her profile!
But boy, did she have a turbulent life. From managing the most chaotic music group to dealing with deaths and expensive legal battles, she sacrificed a lot for the love of it. For instance, I had no idea that there were so many members of the group over the years. At one stage, I couldn’t keep track of who was playing who, but isn’t that the point? It was never about the individual, it was about the brand.
That did mean the musical had darker narratives than I was expecting. Thankfully, there is a lot of laughs and vibrant numbers to lift the heaviness.
The Grafters
And this is where The Drifters come in (MILES ANTHONY DALEY, ASHFORD CAMPBELL, DALTON HARRIS and TARIK FRIMPONG). With choreography that honours the style of the past, vocals that blow the roof off and acting that shows their astonishing range, they were a joy to watch. And you could see the fun they were having on stage. Their aura is spirit lifting.
They aren’t just The Drifters, they are the grafters! These 4 versatile performers played more parts than I can count on two hands. Simple prop changes and seamless staging created a sense of a much bigger cast. Showgirls to taxi drivers and receptionists to radio announcers, they embodied them all.
The Drifters Girl is a blast from the past, with top talent of the present, and a bright future ahead of it!
Playing at Opera House in Manchester until Saturday 14 October 2023.
Image credit: The Other Richard