The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema & Tv
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
      • Shows
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

CultureTheatre

Five Guys Named Moe at Marble Arch Theatre

Five Guys Named Moe at Marble Arch Theatre | Theatre review
15 September 2017
Stuart Ross
Avatar
Stuart Ross
15 September 2017

Silly, bursting with songs and energy, and peppered with fantastic performances, Five Guys Named Moe is a joy. Directed by Clarke Peters, the musical had runs in the West End and on Broadway in the 90s, with the original productions winning and receiving nominations for several Olivier and Tony awards. Peters is back directing and he holds it all together wonderfully.

The show follows Nomax, a down-and-out, and the five Moes who appear out of nowhere to sort out his life by singing countless Louis Jordan songs. The plot is irrelevant. It’s a framework for each Moe to play within: bounding around the circular stage, belting out tunes and cracking jokes.

All six actors are on stage together for most the running time and are all on top form: funny, entertaining, tight but loose in all the right ways. There are one or two mistakes, but this is live, fast-paced theatre, delivered by a vibrant cast. The band, also, are excellent throughout and late in the show we are brought to a crescendo as they are unveiled from the background to huge applause.

The Marble Arch Theatre is gorgeous, a sprawling, purpose-built venue that feels warm and genuine. The luxury of such a setting is that the excess set design can be stripped back; it feels like New Orleans in the 1940s without having to busy the stage with props.

As for deeper themes and character studies, we aren’t breaking new ground here. Even though this musical deals with some dark subjects, it doesn’t pull them in so close that it becomes uncomfortable, it just isn’t that kind of show.

There are some minor teething problems: the spotlight handler has issues keeping up with the performers, but in many ways, this just highlights the fact that we are watching a live piece of theatre – along with the moments of audience participation, which are good fun, if slightly clichéd.

For anyone looking for a fun, all-singing all-dancing evening, Five Guys Named Moe is exactly that. Last night’s performance closed to a standing ovation, which says it all really.

★★★★★

Stuart Ross
Photo: Alastair Muir

Five Guys Named Moe is at Marble Arch Theatre from 15th September 2017 until 18th January 2018. Book your tickets here.

Related Itemsreview

More in Theatre

Late Night Staring at High Res Pixels

★★★★★
Brooke Snowe
Read More

Redemption Room at Secret Theatre Online

★★★★★
Michael Higgs
Read More

Rice! at Omnibus Theatre

★★★★★
Cristiana Ferrauti
Read More

24, 23, 22 at Chronic Insanity Online

★★★★★
Samuel Nicholls
Read More

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice at Southwark Playhouse Online

★★★★★
Michael Higgs
Read More

Typical at Soho Theatre

★★★★★
Ella Satin
Read More

Grimm Tales for Fragile Times and Broken People

★★★★★
Emma-Jane Betts
Read More

Gatsby at Cadogan Hall: An interview with Jodie Steele and Ross William Wild

Michael Higgs
Read More

Living Record Festival: Ain’t No Female Romeo

★★★★★
Brooke Snowe
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Theatre review

Stuart Ross

Five Guys Named Moe

★★★★★

Dates

29th August - 25th November 2017

Price

From £10

BUY TICKETS

Links & directions

TwitterFacebookWebsiteMap

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Maximo Park – Nature Always Wins
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • I’m Your Man (Ich bin dein Mensch)
    ★★★★★
    Berlinale
  • Black Bear
    ★★★★★
    Film festivals
  • Your Honor
    ★★★★★
    sky
  • Spotlight: Lauren Everet and Soup Kitchen London, striving for food security and social equality
    Food & Drinks
  • Petite Maman
    ★★★★★
    Berlinale
  • Celebrate International Women’s Day with a Bombay Sapphire Cocktails & Create masterclass
    Food & Drinks
  • Postdata – Twin Flames
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Late Night Staring at High Res Pixels
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Daniel Brühl on his directorial debut Next Door: “It was magical; I didn’t get a ‘no’ from anyone.”
    Berlinale
  • Moxie
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Souad
    ★★★★★
    Berlinale
  • We (Nous)
    ★★★★★
    Berlinale
  • Bicep at Saatchi Gallery Online
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • The Winter Lake
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

Victoria and Abdul | Movie review
Bullish​ ​at​ ​Camden​ ​People’s​ ​Theatre | Theatre review