"WE love the Osmonds!" They chanted it as lovestruck teenagers, and this week the fans were back in full force at the Alhambra for a new show about their heroes. Fans came from around the UK, dressed in Donny T-shirts and waving Osmond banners.
Written by Jay Osmond, and narrated from his perspective, The Osmonds: A New Musical is the story of the five brothers from Utah who sold over 100 million records, sparked a level of fan hysteria not seen since the Beatles, and became huge TV stars - until one bad business decision cost them everything.
Think of the Osmonds and it's five wholesome guys in white suits. What's not so well known is how they came to be the pop phenomenon of the early 1970s. This show begins with a regimented childhood, ruled by an ex-military father, when Jay, Alan, Wayne and Merrill were a child barbershop quartet, in matching red suits, raising cash for hearing aids for their two older brothers. With a little help from Walt Disney, they landed a residency on the Andy Williams Show in the 1960s, leading to international fame...and Osmondmania.
This musical is as schmaltzy as you might expect, but there are hints of a difficult childhood, with Merrill particularly unhappy at being pushed into the spotlight. A scene where his father makes the exhausted little boy stand and repeat a word he can't pronounce, to try and control his stammer, is brutal.
This is a family who grew up on TV, and as narrator Jay reflects on his childhood, it was a childhood spent largely practising and performing.
An impressive cast of young actors - Nicolas Teixeira, Oliver Forde, Jack Sherran, Louis Stow, Lyle Wren and Lonan Johnson - played the Osmond children, stealing the audience's hearts. Later we see the brothers falling out and becoming resentful at their roles as backing singers for double act Donny and Marie.
This entertaining musical delivers all the hits, including The Proud One, Crazy Horses, One Bad Apple and Love Me for a Reason, but it felt overall like it needed fleshing out a bit. The set was too stark, despite the 60s/70s ambience.
This show is, says Jay, a love letter to the fans and there was a nice touch throughout, with fan mail from a devoted teen revealing her own dreams and struggles. But I felt more could have been made of re-creating the extraordinary fan hysteria that followed the Osmonds everywhere.
The cast, however, was first-class. Ryan Anderson, Jamie Chatterton, Danny Nattrass, Tristan Whincup and Alex Lodge were terrific as the brothers, capturing their harmonies beautifully, with slick dance moves to Bill Deamer's full-on choreography. A stand out performance from the excellent Alex Lodge as narrator Jay.
Great performances too from Matthew Ives as Andy Williams, Georgia Lennon as Marie, Alex Cardall as stern dad George and Nicola Bryan as loving mother, Olive.
The last word goes to the fans who arrived with their life-size cut-out of their hero Jay...
Jean Hawkins said: "The show was fantastic, I've seen it loads of times." Janette Wellens said: "The Osmonds Musical was fantastic, it took us back to when we were teenagers and we've all met through the Osmonds.
"I've been a fan for 54 years, it was so brilliant meeting the cast at the stage door after the show."
Julie Middleton said: "I've seen the show loads of times and love it."
Allison Millar said: "The show is fantastic, seen it loads of times."
Karen Owens added:"It was lovely being on the front row. Thanks to Janette for getting the tickets, having our photos taken and going to the stage door and meeting the cast of the show. I've met wonderful friends through the Osmonds."
Janet Emery said: "The show is fantastic, brilliant and fabulous. I've been an Osmond fan since I was 12. I've made and connected with new friends and fans who will be longstanding friends."
* Runs at the Alhambra until Saturday.
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