SMALL FACES MUSICAL PACKS A HUGE IMPACT
ALL OR NOTHING KINGS THEATRE, GLASGOW
WOW! Just wow. This incredible musical takes your breath away. With gritty realism it examines the self-destructing ego that was the Small Faces frontman Steve Marriott.
The story is cleverly told via a narrator – a much older, and deader, Steve Marriott.
The older Marriott – superbly played by Chris Simmons – begins as a cheeky chappie and follows his descent into the drugs and alcohol abuse which contributed to his untimley death in a fire at just 44.
It is almost a Dorian Gray type reflection of his life. The young Marriott exhibiting the strutting, arrogant persona you would expect of a rock star while the dead Marriott views it initially with a wiser head before, slowly, getting more drunk and drug-ravaged.
It is an exceptional piece of writing and an equally exceptional piece of acting.
Simmons delivers his lines perfectly and then moulds himself into the background while managing not to look like the spectre at the feast.
But his on-stage presence is such that your eyes are drawn to him to catch every nuance of his outstanding performance.
As juke box musicals go, the soundtrack is definitely one of the coolest, with classic Small Faces numbers like All or Nothing, Lazy Sunday and Itchycoo Park all featuring prominently.
But although it charts the life of the band and delivers a huge chunk of their back catalogue you do not need to be a fan to enjoy it.
The story could equally have been transferred to any band from the 60s with a propensity for sex, drugs and rock’n’roll – and there were many of them.
It is a snapshot of that moment in time and was clearly written by someone who remembered the era with fondness but, fortunately, without a drug-addled brain.
Carol Harrison is perhaps best known as the former East-Enders character Louise Raymond but she is far more talented than her soap career may suggest.
She writes insightfully but with great humour. As the band chatted about Marriott’s latest outburst one member remarked: “It’s LSD.”
“What, you think he was stoned?” another replied. “No, LSD – lead singer disease, overdosed on his own ego.” Bitingly funny observational humour.
And as if writing the show was not enough Harrison also directs it beautifully and stars as Marriott’s pushy mum, Kay.
You may be forgiven for thinking, as I did, that to take a part in her own show was pandering to her own ego. But it is doubtful that anyone could have played Kay with such passion, humour and emotion. It was a magnificent performance.
But then there really wasn’t a weak link in the entire show. The run ends on Saturday but if you miss it, with no other Scots dates on the tour, it would be well worth a summer break down south to catch it. It really is that good.