BUDDY at Upstairs at the Gatehouse

Buddy is a roaring success at Upstairs at The Gatehouse Theatre in Highgate. Do not miss this opportunity to see vibrant young actors bring Rock n Roll to North London.

The show will run until 18th April, but don’t delay. You may want to see it again.

The Show first opened in London back in 1989 and it ran for 13 years. There is a very good reason for this. It is a wonderful show, packed full of songs which are instantly recognisable and which are sang the whole way through. You don’t feel cheated, and the atmosphere and innocence of the 50’s is instantly engulfing.

We have Alan Janes and Rob Bettinson to thank for this creation. They co wrote Buddy and have since both gone on to further successes. Janes wrote many of the Minder episodes amongst other television scripts and more recently a film adaptation of Animal Farm in the US. Bettinson, went on to write screenplay for a Death of a Salesman, and many others.

The cast is young, energetic, enthusiastic and extremely talented. Roger Rowley, playing the part of Buddy is yet to graduate from the Guildford School of Acting, but has already been awarded the singing prize in his second year. This is the second time he has taken on the part of Buddy. The first time was in Leeds and he has now made it completely his own.

It is difficult to pick out any other performance as they each offered so much to the production. Musical talent abounds on this small stage, but miracles happen at each production, and this is one of their better miracles.

If you have seen the West End version and are getting withdrawal symptoms, I can assure you that you will not be disappointed with the quality of this production, its musicality, staging, and quality of acting. Though there were a few lapses in the Southern accents at the start, this was soon forgotten as we were taken down memory Lane in fine vocal form.

Are you feeling a little jaded after a long dark and cold winter? Then Buddy is what you need, even before the blossoms grace the barren trees. The show will make you smile and sing along, and it finished with a standing ovation.

Need I say more.

Just go and see it. You will love it. It glistens.

*****

Vicki York