He's A Rebel
Carrus Crystal Palace, Tauranga Waterfront, Tauranga
28/10/2023 - 28/10/2023
Production Details
The Up-Doos
Join The Up-Doos for an evening of questionable dating choices and romantic misadventures with Mr Wrong.
He’s A Rebel celebrates the girl groups of the 1960s and their iconic songs about the bad boys we hate to love, featuring a repertoire of hits including Leader of the Pack, Please Mr Postman and My Boyfriend’s Back.
With big hair and bigger harmonies, The Up-Doos breathe new life into vintage classics. Sugar-sweet love songs, odes to beautiful bad boys and full-on girl power anthems. Performed in true cabaret style this hilarious evening of entertaining music (and gorgeous outfits!) is sure to leave audiences grinning and grooving.
Venue: Carrus Crystal Palace
Date: 28 October
Time: 8PM
Prices: $40 – $45
Booking: https://www.taurangafestival.co.nz/event/hes-a-rebel-468
Music , Theatre ,
90 minutes
The voices, the harmonies, the moves, the band, the crowd …
Review by Rachel Hall 29th Oct 2023
Carrus Crystal Palace is an intimate venue and it’s sold-out tonight; just right for what lies ahead as these talented women lead us along a story line set in the 60s: the appeal of the ‘bad boy’.
From the opening number we know we are in for an impressive night. The Up-Doos – Esther Stephens, Olivia (Liv) Tennet and Aria Jones – wear bouffant hairdos (Up-Doo’s!) and great 60s geometric day dresses.
Liv, with her voice easily recognizable from TV shows she has featured in, opens and we begin the journey. Esther with her smooth, rich vocals brings clarity and Aria completes the picture of three-part harmony. And these women harmonize beautifully.
Each is great on her own but when they hit the climactic songs and we are surrounded by their sound, we revel in their awesome voices and personalities.
Second half, and evening wear is donned. ‘You Don’t Know Me’ is the outstanding song of the night for me, showcasing each of their voices with clarity and soaring trumpet played by Finn (Mr Lee) Scholes. In some songs Finn plays trumpet and keys simultaneously, at other times he disappears behind a tuba.
‘These Boots Are Made for Walking’ gets the audience more than toe-tapping and showcases Abraham Kunin on Guitar and Chip Matthews on Bass. Last in the backing quartet is Tom Broome on Drums, who ably holds them together – a tight lineup. Audience participation comes to a head as we drown out the soloists as we join in: “going to walk all over you”.
The choreography, by Liv, is outstanding. With a simple stage set and no props, it is their moves and differing song arrangements that keep us all engaged. Their acting experience shows through as we get the full face/body expressions – who knew three-part crying could be so superb?
The Up-Doos are surprised that we demand an encore, and after a quick discussion about keys, the band is back on board and Esther delivers ‘It’s in His Kiss’. What a voice and song to go home with.
What an evening! The voices, the harmonies, the moves, the band, the crowd, are all to be applauded.
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