Review: CAROLINE - A NEW MUSICAL, East Anglian Touring Consortium - Online
Photo credit: Will Green
For a generation, access to the emerging pop and rock music was through the pirate radio stations broadcasting from offshore locations to young audiences listening in their bedrooms on transistor radios. As this new musical reminds us, this was a time before Spotify, Napster, MP3 and cassette tapes when the only way to hear these latest songs was in a booth in a record shop before buying a vinyl single. Then, along came Radio Caroline from a converted Danish passenger ferry moored three miles off the Suffolk coast, broadcasting 24 hours a day with a new informal style of DJ, and commercial radio was born, funded by adverts aimed at the young listeners.
Vicki Stone has taken this basic historic tale, woven in a love story between one of the first DJs, called Robbie here, and his girlfriend Caroline, and delightfully included some of the great tracks from the period from 1964 - 1967 to enhance the storytelling. The battle between the Postmaster General responsible for use of broadcast airways and the station owners, staff and advertisers, which eventually led to Marine, &c, Broadcasting (Offences) Act in August 1967 and the launch of BBC Radio 1 - 4 is told. Thankfully, commercial radio survived and indeed, Radio Caroline still broadcasts today, sixty years later. It is a well told story, but what makes it a joy is the music itself.
From less well known songs such as ‘Dead End Street’ (1966) by The Kinks, the actor-musicians deliver a succession of top songs from the era. ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice’ (1966) by The Beach Boys, has Robbie dreaming of a job. ‘These Boots Are Made For Walking’ (1966) by Nancy Sinatra sees him securing the job on board. ‘Twist and Shout’ (1963) by The Beatles sees the launch of the station in March 1964. ‘Hippy Hippy Shake’ (1964) by the Swinging Blue Jeans sees audiences growing. ‘Gimme Some Lovin’ (1966) by The Spencer Davis Group sees the launch of advertiser competitions, and ‘Shout’ (1964) by Lulu sees Robbie and Caroline married on board the ship. ‘My Generation’ (1965) by The Who sums up the rebellion against the authorities trying to close the station down, while ‘You’re My World’ (1964) by Cilla Black sums up Caroline’s love for Robbie. ‘These Boots Are Made For Walking’ (1966) reveals the first cracks as a DJ leaves for the new Radio 1. ‘Paint It Black (1966) by The Rolling Stones reveals the desperation to keep the station on air, and ‘What Becomes of the Broken Hearted’ (1967) by Jimmy Ruffin tells of the station becoming illegal in August 1967. But as the BBC starts to play the music that the teenagers want, ‘Reach Out’ (1966) by The Four Tops reminds us that Radio Caroline will still be on air over fifty years later.
The central two characters are wonderfully played by Jake Halsey-Jones as Robbie, capturing his loyal determination to make the station succeed, and Claire Lee Shenfield as Caroline showing her love and devotion and delivering, for us, the best vocal of the show in ‘You’re My World’. There is great support from nine others, including Gareth Cooper as the out of touch Postmaster General, Rhiannon Hopkins as advertising guru Kitty, and Joey Hickman as the founder Declan O’Rahilly. But it is when they come together in the marvellous ‘My Generation’ that we are reminded why this musical era has left such a lasting era.
The New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich, under Artistic Director Douglas Rintoul who directs this show, is making a name for itself for actor-musician shows with their annual Rock ‘n’ Roll pantomime being consistently good. The East Anglian Touring Consortium is a good model to bring new works to regional theatres and took this production to Hornchurch, Peterborough, Colchester and Bury St Edmunds. This is a highly enjoyable capture of a performance at the theatre, a fascinating story, well written and performed, with a brilliant soundtrack for a generation.
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: Nick Wayne
Caroline - A New Musical is available to stream until 19 September, with further info here.