This event is more of a
marketing exercise for the company rather than a trade
showcase and the hospitality provided is copious and
extremely lavish.
Chocolate fountains, ice
sculptures, balloon modellers and caricaturists were
presented for companies and hotel clients.
Saxophonist Gary G made
the right musical impression in the foyer, before
look-a-like Steve Rooney as Del Boy and drag artist
Angel Delight stalked the room, meeting and greeting in
splendid and reckless abandon, along with close up
magician Harry Robson and Elan The Robot.
Unit One even threw in
a piper to herald the start of the show and the arrival
of compere John Hindley, who is a director of Unit One
and clearly enjoyed his time on stage .
A DJ and announcer,
Hindley went about his duties in a humorous fashion...
...the
mode of presentation was slick and professional,
particularly in the early stages of the show, and
Showcall Showcase-style interviews were conducted after
each act had performed.
I really liked All That
Swing, a two-boy act - one follicly challenged and his
partner more diminutive in stature - who gave us What a
Swell Party from High Society. The on-stage relationship
between the two made for a nice chemistry and these guys
can really sing!
Similarly, I have been
a fan of two girl act Unique 88 for some years. Nicki
and Alison, who make up this act, are both rather fine
vocalists who dress the part. Their voluptuous figures,
dress sense and acerbic and witty line in broad comedy
is bound to stand them in good stead for work in gay
venues, and in front of adult-only audiences. However,
I’m sure that there is much more to come from this quite
superbly presented and fully-rounded (in every sense of
the term) cabaret attraction.
Next came a segment
from a mini-production show called A Night of Dirty
Dancing, which stars Louise Kenney. Two male and two
female dancers present memories of Patrick Swayze and
his pliable groin area. The energy and verve with which
this was presented may well keep them busy in the field
of hotel and corporate work.
Definitely MightBe is
the name of an Oasis tribute band, who arrived armed
with Manchester City shirts and lots of solid
musicianship. They delivered great Gallagher
impressions, while the quality of the band stood up well
to musical scrutiny too. This belting set came from one
of the less obvious choices for a tribute night. In
short, these guys certainly captured the spirit of the
real thing.
I have seen tribute band The Police Force before. Last
time around I thought they were superb, this time they
were even better. This is one of the best tribute bands
I have ever come across and they certainly woke this
slumbering reviewer up after a day which had begun very
early and in another country on an assignment for The
Stage.
After an interval came the appearance of a seven-piece
Commitments-style soul band, called New Disciples. This
band had also just arrived back from Spain earlier in
the day. Weddings, parties and company functions would
seem to provide rich pickings for this solid outfit, who
come complete with the most energetic of frontmen.
Next came the remarkable Gary Skyner. Not only is he one
of the hottest and most hilariously funny stand-up
comedians in the country, he has also overcome the fact
that he was one of the so-called Thalidomide babies of
the sixties, to occupy the higher branches of the
mainstream comedy tree.
Skyner is naughty, at times very naughty, but also an
endearingly funny stage presence. I for one hope he
keeps delivering the laughs and is seen by the wider
audience that his talent would seem to justify.
Billed for all kinds of reasons as The Drifters
featuring Ray Lewis, this act at least has an air of
authenticity about it.
Ray Lewis has some warmth on stage and at some time
during his solo career he has also had to learn the art
of patter...
This isn’t the best type of act in this crowded field
but there is plenty to suggest Lewis and his young
friends will have more busy times ahead while singing
the old Drifters hits.
Peter La Scala is a huge operatic tenor
and an accomplished patter comedian. On his day, at the
right time of night and in front of the right crowd, he
can be devastatingly funny. Suffice to say that this was
just not his night.
There is money in tribute and lots of it, which may
explain why a great singer and cabaret artist like Danny
Roman is presenting a Tom Jones tribute...
All in all, this was a showcase of two halves...
In organisational terms, for the people at Unit One
however, the evening was a triumph...
Production information
The Willows Variety Centre, Salford, October 4
Producers: Steve Sale and John Hindley
