Rock around the clock at Theatre Royal Windsor

Jun 18 2010 By Barry Dix

FOR those whose memories stretch that far back, the words Rock Around The Clock conjure up images of grainy black and white news footage from the 50s showing Teddy boys ripping up cinema seats and generally behaving loutishly while Bill Haley and the Comets belt out that new fangled rock ‘n’ roll.

Fast forward half a century to the elegant surroundings of the Theatre Royal Windsor, where a new generation of performers is bringing all that wonderful music back to life.

In contrast to the monotone 50s, it’s bursting with colourful costumes and there’s not a hint of menace in the air. In fact, there’s about as much chance of the audience ripping out the seats as there is of Haley himself walking out on stage.

Rock Around The Clock is one of those ubiquitous nostalgia shows which tour the provinces these days, full of beaming, talented young singers and dancers performing numbers which were hits long before they were born.

But dismiss such productions at your peril. They’re joyful celebrations of the genre, bursting with energy and, in the case of Rock Around The Clock, featuring some of the finest pop songs ever written.

And the format is obviously popular. There were very few spare seats in the theatre on Tuesday evening and long before the end of the show the crowd – mostly made up of people of a certain age – was on its feet dancing and singing along.

Much of the action revolves around Roxanne Pallett, who won plaudits from the critics for her sensitive playing of Jo Stiles in TV’s Emmerdale, showing her victory in Celebrity Stars in their Eyes was no fluke. She switches from slow ballads to raunchy rock with ease, as do her co-singers, Jon Hawkins, Kurt Kansley, Michael Quinn, Lucy Smethurst, Natalie Spriggs and Simon Schofield.

Rock Around The Clock ticks along with hardly a pause for breath. You’ll hear everything from Elvis numbers and Jerry Lee Lewis hits to Buddy Holly and Little Richard favourites, all treated with great respect by this energetic young cast of singers and dancers, expertly moulded into shape by director and choreographer Neil Dorward.

Everything’s held together by a tight little five-piece band, with Tim Ranger outstanding on guitar, expertly recreating all those familiar and much-loved riffs, even though he looks as though he’s hardly old enough to remember the 80s, let alone the 50s.

It’s a show to put a smile on your face – and reintroduce you to some of those brilliant old classic songs, performed with fresh and sparkling enthusiasm.

Rock Around The Clock runs until Saturday (June 19) at the Theatre Royal, Windsor. Contact the box office on 01753 853888.