Saturday Night at The Churchill
Many a time I’ve asked a young lady to Save The Last Dance For Me because The Drifters’ great songs were the soundtrack of my life. What self-respecting teenager didn’t want to be Kissing in the Back Row of the Movies? But I did not know the story about Faye Treadwell, the Girl who fought hard to keep their magic flowing, writes Michael Holland.
The Drifters’ Girl opens in 1953 when George Treadwell puts a group together with Clyde McPhatter as the main attraction. As was usual in the music business, as years passed so managers and bands clashed and personnel was always changing as singers were fired and rehired, and lawsuits were brought to court with various former members all wanting to trade on The Drifters’ good name.
By now George had married Faye, who, being black and female, had to work a lot harder to get her voice heard in this male-dominated industry. But get heard she did, even though the men in her world did not like being told what to do by a woman.
After George died it was Faye that took the lead when the group were having trouble on tour in the racist Southern states, eventually taking The Drifters to the UK in the early 70s to escape the mayhem of court actions, but Faye never gave up fighting against other groups with sly managers touring under The Drifters’ name. There were writs and counter-writs but Faye would stay strong for her group until finally she won the right to be the only person to be able to use The Drifters’ name.
This might sound like a slow-moving courtroom drama but it is anything but. This musical, which came from an idea by George and Faye’s daughter Tina(played here by Jaydah Bell-Ricketts), tells the story predominantly through song and choreography. And what songs they are.
However, for The Drifters’ songs to work you need good singers to make it happen, and this troupe recreated some of the best voices of the 20th century: Clyde McPhatter, Johnny Moore and Ben E. King were all magically brought to life by Miles Anthony Daley, Ashford Campbell, Tarik Frimpong and Daniel Haswell who were that good they could very well go out on the road as The Drifters.
And holding it all together on stage, as well as in real life, was Carly Mercedes Dyer playing Faye – The Drifters’ Girl, who showed that she could belt a power ballad with ease.
Even today, the Treadwell Drifters, under Tina Treadwell’s guidance, are touring the UK and will be back at Bromley’s Churchill Theatre in November.
If they’re as good as these boys then it is a show not to be missed.
Churchill Theatre, Bromley High Street, BR1 1HA until 27th April.
Booking: https://trafalgartickets.com/churchill-theatre-bromley/
