Review: Dreamboats and Petticoats Bringing on Back the Good Times, New Theatre, Cardiff

Rachel Howells steps back to the 1960s as she visits Cardiff’s New Theatre to review Bill Kenwright & Laurie Mansfield’s Dreamboats and Petticoats Bringing on Back the Good Times.

Dreamboats and Petticoats: Bringing on Back the Good Times is the sequel to the original feelgood musical Dreamboats and Petticoats. 

The musical follows the story of Bobby (David Ribi) and Laura (Elizabeth Carter) a few years after the original musical ended.  Professionally, they have gone their separate ways, but stayed together as a couple with Laura becoming a professional signer and Bobby going back to his band.

David Ribi’s Bobby, is a real nice guy that everyone really likes, and David himself comes both her and David create an incredible chemistry that really gels them together as a couple.

Alistair Hill plays Norman the band’s lead singer and resident lothario, Hill has a real stage presence as well as fantastic vocals. His characters on – off relationship with Sue (Lauren Anderson-Oakley) herself providing one of the highlights of the second act singing, I Just Don’t know What To Do With Myself.

Another highlight is David Benson’s hilarious charactisation of Kenneth Williams presenting the Eurovision Song Contest as he re-enacts Ma Crepe Suzette (with a little Welsh thrown in for good measure!)

I really can’t finish this review without mentioning the versatile band and backing ensemble cast that were on and off the stage throughout the show. Not only do they play various musical instruments but also performed many of the songs throughout the production. While this meant that there are parts of the production that are reminiscent of music concert, these parts blended in enough to carry the story through the scenes.  My favourite of these was when they performed Mony Mony.

Dreamboats and Petticoats: Bringing on Back the Good Times is a definite feelgood musical… a Hallmark movie for the theatre… where you can’t stop smiling all the way through the performance!

• Dreamboats and Petticoats: Bringing On Back The Good Times continues at Cardiff’s New Theatre until April 16. For ticket details visit the New Theatre website.
• Read on: Bringing On Back The Good Times with Dreamboats and Petticoats – David Ribi chats to Andy Howells.