Is Andy Capp back on the Up and Up?
How a lazy man makes us all feel good?
The term “if you want to get ahead get a hat” takes on a fresh meaning with the character Andy Capp made famous by cartoonist Reg Smythe in the Daily Mirror 60 years ago. Andy Capp is everything you would find most irritating and yet tantalisingly lovable in a rogue who cheats the system, takes his wife for granted and is obsessed with his pints and his pigeons, and he is always seen wearing his pies and peas, pigeon fancying, beer dependent flat cap – never without it. But how easy is this character to play in Andy Capp The Musical? Not easy and yet Roger Alborough in the production running until at least 23 February at The Finborough Theatre makes it look a doddle – or very close to it. The musical is full of characters who take on a rounded disneyish charm but in this intimate venue, it is a production which challenges the small space the thespians have to navigate – including a piano, several cages of pigeons (not real) , a wedding cake, dancing and drama in the pub – along with an argument which comes close to a punch up, and some endearing scenes of repartee between Andy and Florence (his wife – who is portrayed as long suffering and yet in the “enviable position” of being his closest confidante and reluctantly devoted servant). The story embraces a rift between Andy and Florence but they do make up. The interesting part of this depiction of characters in the North is that each and every one of them is very real to many though I was sitting next to a German lady reviewer who said to me – “are these characters in any way real in English life?” and I answered “Oh yes – and I have met people like them”. Throughout history audiences and readers have loved stories relating to folk who are constantly short of cash, cracking jokes and grabbing each day as it comes to make some fun, who are incredibly close as they are all in poverty together and struggling to make ends meet and this musical celebrates these concepts full on. The same musical has been in London’s West End after moving from The Royal Exchange Manchester in 1982. Maybe it should come back and with this cast it could. This is the first professional production in the UK for more than 30 years and is playing on Sundays and Mondays in the evening and Tuesday matinees. For more information google The Finsborough Theatre, Earls Court .
Trevor Peacock wrote the Andy Capp book and then he and Alan Price got together to write the music and lyrics for Andy Capp The Musical. Trevor is known for playing Tim Trott in The Vicar of Dibley and also for writing lyrics for Adam Faith, Billy Fury and Joe Brown.
For all the other characters in the cast, a special mention has to be made for Paddy Navin who plays Mrs Scrimmett, Lynn Robertson Hay who plays Florence Capp and David Muscat playing Geordie but please note that all the characters – some of whom played live instruments which includes piano and guitar together with constant support with an off stage keyboard player and with a musical director, Tim Shaw with a long list of credits to his name, are putting in all they can to make this a truly memorable and enchanting evening out. Yet again British Theatre has proved the best in the world bar none.
Penny Nair Price
