Returning to the New Wimbledon Theatre is always a pleasure – even the walk from the train station appears shorter with every visit. I like a tribute show as a way of learning more about artists and musicians I can only name the very famous hits of, and love the moment when a familiar tune appears I have not associated with the artist so far, making me gasp: “So that was them as well…!” Undeniable, the first thing everyone associates with the Everly Brothers are the soothing harmonies of their recordings.
Walk Right Back, the story of the Everly Brothers, starts with a Beatles quote and honours further musicians and their hits of the era; mostly Buddy Holly and Roy Orbinson (yay!) who the Everly Brothers went on tour with through the USA in the late 1950s but the very talented band also brings on a beautiful instrumental of Mr Sandman. James Hudson and Ollie Gray as Don and Phil Everly narrate the highs and lows of the duo charmingly rather than re-enacting it; kind and loving and maybe a bit too tame – chronologically there is country music to start with, and then the brothers’ signature sounds follow about which younger listeners might carefully ask: “So was this really already considered rock ‘n roll back then?”
And that’s okay because this show has been set up to warm hearts, and not not to bite: It’s a celebration of music rather than stirring up gossip, scandals or discussions on representation. At least we learned that one of The Everly Brothers’ main songwriters was a woman who got her inspiration from windscreen wipers and rocks stuck in her vacuum cleaner. The name slipped me already, sorry.
American black-and-white TV legend Ed Sullivan and even Elvis (who declined recording Bye Bye Love) will make more than one appearance on the screen on this journey from Nashville, Tennessee to the reunion concert at London‘s Royal Albert Hall in the 1980s, preparing us with nuggets of pop music trivia, also on the Everly Brothers’ influence on the British invasion of the 1960s (Simon & Garfunkel, anyone?). Accompanied by a talented band, we are treated further to beautiful instrumentals like Mr Sandman. And during a medley in the second half, this one tune is suddenly there which has with me for as long as I can think but which never had a name or artist associated with it. Now it has.
The silver sea crowd loves it, commits noisily that it will be back and my oh my, everyone is up from their seats during the last quarter! I will hum Crying In The Rain on the train back home all to myself. And under the shower the next morning. Come on, Grayne Productions and Prestige Productions, stage Herman’s Hermit next. That should be another hit. And I might need that input for another pub quiz night. And apologise to future passengers for my relentless humming.
**** out of 5 stars
Walk Right Back – The Everly Brothers’ Story continues its national tour until November 2025
Directed and produced by Trevor Payne, Ollie Gray and Peter Jackson
I thank the organisers and the PR team for the press ticket.
Sadie takes the Stage 