The upper floor of the Komedia is transformed into a suave, segregated, intimate space and around one hundred people gather for some swinging in the lanes.Our host, Marilyn Monroe, is played by Laura Nixon. She bares a striking physical resemblance to the Hollywood icon and has a good vocal interpretation. Facially she is less convincing but on stage we believe she is Marilyn. Heckling with the crowd like in pantomime she engages with individuals very literally. Marilyn brings a member of the audience on stage for a ‘Happy Birthday’ treat. There are various costume changes throughout the show. Including a stereotypical tight white dress that leaves little to the imagination, Marilyn admits, “You can probably see my nipples and belly button in this dress”.
Laura’s performance is not motivated by spectacle; it is fundamentally about audience interaction and building a relationship with them. Classic ditties ‘Bring Me Sunshine’ and ‘I Want to be Loved by You’ evoke audience participation and clapping along. It becomes apparent that this is not the rockabilly turn out we expected but more of a mature crowd ranging from their mid thirties to late sixties, and not rockabilly. The Spinettes perform a lively and uplifting rendition of Wanda Jackson’s ‘Rum and Coca Cola’ and layer the backing vocals for Marilyn’s ‘Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend’.
Suspiciously, Elvis (Ivor Potter) joins Marilyn for a duet of Peggy Lee’s Fever. Elvis is a good impersonator and looks reasonably alike. Ivor performs as Vegas Elvis from the 1968s comeback era. He wins the crowd over with his mumbling chats between songs and pantomime antics throughout the show. We don’t think the real Elvis would walk across stage behind Marilyn Monroe with no trousers on, but it is funny nonetheless. His set includes ‘Burning Love’, ‘Jailhouse Rock’, ‘Suspicious Minds’, ‘Unchained Melody’ and ‘Viva Las Vegas’. Elvis does a suspiciously good ‘American Trilogy’ and makes us think he should do more ballads; the guy has got a good pair of lungs.
The King steps in for an absent Frank Sinatra with his version of ‘My Way’ and Jessica Rabbit is the stand-in act. She is attractive with a soft pleasant voice like the ‘real’ Jessica and performs her number from the movie ‘Why Don’t You Do Right?’. She is a good replacement, but we wonder why they select a fictional celebrity and not Peggy Lee since the show contains a number of her songs. This does not alter the fact that this is a highly entertaining show which gleams with charm. Tonight was not about logic but celebrating our appreciation for two Hollywood superstars. We leave happy knowing we witnessed something more meaningful than panto but less draining than theatre.
ALIVE AND SWINGING WITH MARILYN MONROE AT KOMEDIA
FRIDAY 12th AUG
WORDS BY JOHN MCLEAN
