Cult musical Return to the Forbidden Planet’s creator Bob Carlton turns to a rock’n’roll Macbeth in this updated revival.

Steve Simmonds’ Heavy Metal Witch with Jane Milligan and Wendy Parkin as his rock chick confederates set the scene, accompanied by lots of thunder, lightning and smoke.

Philip Reed’s nerdy, naive, Northern lad Eric Glamis wants a career in the music business. He hones his ambition to climb the dodgy stairway to fame, encouraged by Stuart Organ’s venial promoter Duke Box.

As rock idol Terry King, Jonathan Markwood is an Elvis soundalike with Julian Clary looks. Simon Jessup’s Sam Spade-style detective Joe MacDuff provides suitably terse comment on the action.

There are particularly strong performances from Hayley J Langwith’s triumphantly rocking temptress Queenie and Maria Lawson’s sharp-witted Laura.

The show has appeal for all ages and tastes. You don’t need to know your Shakespeare but if you do, you can savour Carlton’s daylight robbery of lines from all over the canon - the bathos of “Terry, Terry, wherefore are thou, Terry?” being a particular favourite. Audience-pleasing songs from Jailhouse Rock onwards also move the story along.

Matt Devitt directs in lively fashion, backed by Carol Sloman as MD and Liz Marsh’s strutting choreography. Richard Godin and Nik Dudley provide the suitably moody lighting and ground-shaking sound. Mark Walter’s transparent multi-storey Soho set, complete with red lights, proves admirably versatile as it swings around on trucks. The actor musicians have their tongues firmly in their cheeks while giving the show every ounce of their energy.

Mary Redman

The Stage - 31st August 2007