Last night saw me at the Theatre Royal Stratford East for the new musical, 'Takeaway' which is intriguingly subtitled 'The Devil in Tom Jones'...
Created by a team consisting of Robert Lee and Leon Ko, and directed by Stratford East's Kerry Michael, the main thrust of the piece centres around Eddie Woo's struggle to respect traditional cultural values while simultaneously trying to live in the fast-paced world of a young Londoner. To help tell the tale there's buckets and buckets of comedy, particularly in the form of Windson Liong, who plays the angry chef at the 'Happy Family' takeaway, and his father's female acquaintance, an aloof but fading Hong Kong film star brilliantly realised in the slight figure of Pik-sen Lim. Added to the mix are some sparkling dance numbers where even a Chinese dragon gets to put in an appearance and a whole lot of raunch in the form of Eddie's four (!) lovers - sophisticated nubian princess Sheila, feisty Chinese warrior Angela, gentle Indian maiden Dillon and the blokey, square-jawed Reese... did I mention that Eddie spends most of his time feeling confused?
Many of the scenes are absolutely top class and could compete with the best on offer in the West End, featuring heartfelt songs and clever sets to match (there's even a distinct smell of sesame oil and prawn crackers when the takeaway appears on stage). The best of these is the second of two dream sequences - think 'Beauty School Dropout' from Grease, but set inside a carriage on the Central Line! The doors on the tube train slide open to reveal the one person on whom Eddie can always rely - Tom Jones, played by diminutive actress Shelley Williams, who is accompanied on stage by a hairy-chested entourage of look-alikes. Hilarity ensues as Tom Jones, in his characteristic thick Rhondda Valley accent, proceeds to croon his sage advice to Eddie...
"I'm swank, I'm frank, got a great big shank. When I swing it, how the people shout! I'm gold, I'm bold and a wee bit old. But I'm here to sort you out!"
'Takeaway' represents the best of the Theatre Royal Stratford East's output - funny and dynamic whilst also being thoughtful and sometimes challenging, and I highly recommend catching it during its run, which lasts until 9 July. After all, if it can attract the likes of Gok Wan, who was in the audience tonight, they must be doing something right. Prices range from £12 to £22 with a special 'pay what you can' night for Newham residents on 22 June.
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