This spring, the outright kings of Rock n' Roll explode onto the West End stage in a brand new show, set to have audiences rocking in the aisles. The four giants of late Fifties and early Sixties popular music, Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, Billy Fury and Roy Orbison come together for the first time in BE BOP A LULA!, which opens at The Ambassadors Theatre tonight, March 4 and returns for the first Wednesday in every month.
Eddie Cochran and
Gene Vincent first came to the UK in the legendary 1960 tour. Eddie tragically never made it back home after dying in a car crash over here but his musical genius paved the way for future artists such as The Beatles. Forever young, Eddie became a huge cult figure for Teds and Rockers alike.
Gene Vincent was an instant Rock n' Roll rebel who fans simply loved. Sculpted in the UK by producer
Jack Good his black leather almost Shakespearean moody image almost scared fans into submission. Billy Fury was also on that fateful tour and he became great friends with Cochran. Billy is known as Britain's true rocker having written his own first album 'The Sound Of Fury'. For an artist to write his own songs was almost unheard of back in the 1950's and this album, produced by the legendary
Jack Good is now a classic. Roy Orbison needs no introduction. With songs such as 'In Dreams', 'Crying', 'Mean Woman Blues' and ' Only The Lonely' he is a big addition to the already amazing line up. Backed by some of the UK's finest musicians,
Gavin Stanley and Lars Young recreate these legends with passion and a very real 'feel' of the artists and their music. Featuring a special guest every month,
Peter Gill will join the line up on March 4 as The Killer himself,
Jerry Lee Lewis.
Gavin Stanley plays Eddie Cochran and Billy Fury. Gavin's career spans music, stage and television. On television he has played roles in both Brookside and Coronation Street. His stage work has included
Bill Kenwright's production of Ferry Cross The Mersey as the young
Gerry Marsden and as Billy Fury in
Bill Kenwright's Good Rockin' Tonight, Gavin has also performed as Eddie Cochran, Dion and
Paul McCartney in numerous other theatre productions His music career has included the band Pool 'whose album and three singles gained them international recognition. Gavin now performs in the band The Boom Boom Booms.
Lars Young plays Roy Orbison and
Gene Vincent. Lars' childhood was spent on the road touring with his family's professional gospel group. On stage, he has played Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, Riff Raff in Rocky Horror Show, Che in Evita and Roger in Rent. Lars has travelled all over America in several bands playing his own original music as well as classic country, rockabilly and rock 'n' roll.
Spencer Evoy oversees the show as Rocking Reverend DJ Spencer. Hailing from Toronto, Canada, Spencer is immersed in the Rock n' Roll lifestyle and fronts the hugely popular band MFC Chicken. He also is a member of The Boom Boom Booms. Spencer also is a playwright and screenwriter and has had his work performed across London venues.
The backing band The Wildcats is made up of some of the greatest Rock n' Roll musicians in the UK, including Pete Pritchard on double bass who was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, has played for over 25 years with Elvis' Guitarist Scotty Moore as well as
Alvin Lee and many more. Gerry Slattery (lead guitar) has worked with The Everly Brothers through to
Boy George.
Richard Blanchard (Keys) is a multi-talented musician who has supported the Stray Cats and worked with
Joe Longthorn as well as many others. Phil Casey plays alongside
Gavin Stanley, Lars Young and Spencer Evoy in the top Rockabilly band The Boom Boom Booms and is one of the UK's leading up and coming drummers.
Be Bob A Lula opened in Liverpool at The Epstein Theatre, May 2014 and continues to tour in sell out shows across the UK. The show shares The
Ambassadors Theatre with Stomp who perform from Thursdays to Mondays every week. Tickets - £27.50 - £45.00. Box office: 08448 112 334 and online at
www.theambassadorstheatre.co.uk or
www.bebopalulashow.co.uk.
TOUR DATES:
28th March
Harlow, Playhouse
01279 431945 www.playhouseharlow.com
11th April
Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmonds
01284 769505 www.theatreroyal.org
1st May
Westcliff Theatre, Clacton
01255 433344 www.westcliffclacton.co.uk
22nd May - 2pm & 7.30pm
Liverpool, Epstein Theatre
0844 888 4411 www.epsteinliverpool.co.uk
23rd May
Rotherham, Civic Theatre
01709 823621 www.rotherhamtheatres.co.uk
10th July
Croydon Fairfield Halls
020 8688 9291 www.fairfield.co.uk
17th October
Cwmbran Congress Theatre
01633 868239 www.congresstheatrecwmbran.co.uk
16th January 2016
Horsham, Capital
01403 750220 www.thecapitolhorsham.com
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