For anyone who has fond memories of time on a canal boat, not actually being a bargee but borrowing one for a holiday, this show is a must, a celebration of the canals and those who live on them. Grit of Life is narrated by John Knowles, author and director, with Rory McLeod as song writer, on an 84 year old Canal Boat. The Widgeon Theatre Boat can tour its play with music to navigable water ways and you can sit the other side of the towpath.
Although Jersey Boys is a musical made up of a back catalogue, and what a back catalogue it is, it has a good content of interesting biographical detail about these remarkable singers which drives the show. Tommy De Vito (Benjamin Yates) is the driving force getting the group together and recruiting the amazing Frankie Castelluccio (Ben Joyce) with his incredible falsetto voice. He changed his name to Frankie Valley and later to the more Italian ending Valli after a Texan hillbilly singer, Jean Valli.
there is Drew McOnie's astounding and meaningful choreography. He has taken on board the occupations of these whalers and labourers and his dance is full of muscular exertion and hard work, amazing leaps and jaw dropping pirouettes. The women haul laundry baskets but dance in pairs with the men controlling them. The men dance earthily to "Blow High, Blow Low" with water droplets thrown over each other, and picked up by the lights in an image I shall never forget.