Musical cruise through The best of Broadway
England's premier show group delights fans in Saunton Sands
By Stanley Carvalho

There was Eva Peron in her shimmering white gown and John Travolta with his inimitable hairstyle, long sideburns et al You had Olivier Newton John crooning, and Joseph and his amazing dream coat. There was the memorable Les Miserables, and the King and I. Interestingly there was also the evergreen Anifrida and Agnetha of Abba, and a host of others.

Billed as "The Musicals" England's premier show group - Smackee, delighted music lovers recently with their musical melange at Saunton Sands Hotel, Devon. Equally, their music evoked nostalgia as the group took guests on a musical cruise, so to speak, through some of the best Broadway and West End hits.

Indeed as someone commented after the show, "It brought a whiff of fresh air to starved music lovers of Devon. In a nutshell Smackee's show was lively, dynamic, colourful, nostalgic and some of the best song and dance hits were brought to life by Barry Walker, Dawn Glenville and Margaret Barnes, of course accompanied ably by the musicians - Rob Mackenzie the lead guitarist, Tom Mollins on bass and Keith Liddle at the keyboards.

The opening number by Barry with his boyish spirit, a solo razzle dazzle set the mood and thereafter there was no stopping them as they sang and danced with un - flagging energy and panache as the audience clapped, swayed, sang and danced in unison with the stars on stage.

Remarkably, it was not just entertainment or show of talent, but a tribute to some of music's legendary performers as the trio sang the best from Cabaret, Grease, Evita, The King and I, Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, Joseph, Mamma Mia - a vast and impressive repertoire.

Dawn's haunting rendering of Evita's Don't Cry For Me Argentina amidst pin drop silence was splendid as was her - Life is a Cabaret. Later Barry and Margaret's duet - All I Ask Of You from Phantom of the Opera took us all to His Majesty's Theatre in London's West End.

Later, Barry's solo of Nessun Dorma with English lyrics written by Neil Sedaka earned him a standing ovation.

The second part of the show was even more action packed as Barry and the girls sang some of the best Grease songs - including the all time favourite You're the One That I Want and Grease Lightning. An appreciative audience responded over- whelmingly after listening to Getting To Know You and Shall We Dance, both from The King and I.

When Dawn and Margaret appeared in their dazzling blue costumes accompanied by the music of Waterloo, the audience screamed and whistled as they realised it was the turn of all the Abba hits. This was closely followed by the evergreen Thank You For The Music, after which it was time to stand and tell the stars just that - with thunderous applause.

Amidst cries of "encore" Barry sang his all time favourite Unchained Melody which put Gareth Gates to shame.

What is so commendable is the groups versatility and energy that makes them so popular world wide. gesticulations, especially his statue-like postures at times, were so perfect and well timed, that they could not fail to bring a smile to everyone's face.

For nearly two hours, it was entertainment of the highest standard, with a touch of nostalgia, and no one was left in any doubt of the sheer class of this unique act. The sound and lighting was also of equal standing and one only hopes Smackee will be back, but for now "thank you for the music" and lets hope the show will go on!

Dear Barry and all the 'Musicals' cast,

My wife and I were bought tickets for your performance as a 39th wedding anniversary gift by our son whose work colleagues brought him glowing reports of your show. We travelled two hours from Grantham when I got home from work just in time to catch the start of the show. I regard myself as something of a connoisseur of musicals having seen most of the West End productions over the years plus lots of local and touring entertainers. However, your group must be one of the best-kept secrets of the entertainment business. You were "superb". we had expected a competent musical performance by a second rate local talent outfit, (no offence) so we were knocked off our feet by your exceptionally professional show, full of such talented performers that make Robbie Williams and his ilk look like rank amateurs. Thank you for a great great show and a wonderful wedding anniversary present. Now all I have to do is find another 'Musicals' lover to bring for another visit to Hunstanton before your season is over. I will keep an eye on your site and gig dates to find you closer to home Newark/Nottingham - you deserve to fill the Royal Concert Hall. Congratulations on a dazzling live performance that knocks spots of the usual television fare. Keep knockin 'em dead.

Gerry and Elaine Margiotta

Show gets audience dancing in the aisles
The Abba Show Princess Theatre, Hunstanton

A packed auditorium of all ages was transported back to the 1970s on Tuesday, when Coventry -based showgroup Smackee performed their tribute to Abba. Complete with glitter, platform shoes and flared trousers the show exploded with energy. Lead vocalists Dawn Glenville, aka Agnetha Falstog and Margaret Barnes aka Frida Lyngstad, commanded the stage with powerfully rich voices and vibrant dancing. With talented lead guitarist Rob Mackenzie, aka Bjorn Ulvaeus, and keyboard player Barry Walker, aka Benny Anderson, the theatre was alive with dynamic performances of Chiquittita, Super Trouper, and dancing Queen which had people dancing in the aisles.

Smackee was formed in 1976 by Barry Walker, who is also the musical director and producer of the show. This truly talented quartet is supported by equally talented guitar / keyboard player Keith Liddle and Tom Mollins on bass This show is an absolute must for the summer season and can be seen every Tuesday night until August 26 - for the finale night, the audience is urged to wear Abba style fancy dress to get a free drink.

Lisa Powell

Great songs from some great shows The Musicals
Princess Theatre, Hunstanton
Eastern Daily Press

Great songs from great shows were performed in grand style on Friday by Barry Walker's showgroup Smackee. Opening with a classic Jesus Christ Superstar they captivated the audience with teir rich voices and stylish presentation. Moving smoothly into West Side Story and Cabaret, they captured the mood of each song from the dramatic to the humorous.

Margaret Barnes and Barry Walker gave a moving rendition of You Don't Bring Me Flowers and Dawn Glenville evoked such emotion with Do'nt Cry For Me Argentina that the audience was completely
mesmerised. The secondpart of the show opened with a delightful performance of Shall We Dance from The King and I, but the highlight was Nessun Dorma, with English words written by Neil Sedaka, wich proved what a versatile entertainer Barry Walker is. With classics from Grease and a tribute to The ABBA Show got a standing ovation and two encores had everyone dancing in aisles to New York New York

Lisa Powell

We were the Dancing Queens (eventually)
Princess Theatre, Hunstanton

It was a packed house for The ABBA Show on Tuesday "Frida" " Agnetha" "Bjorn" and "Benny" hit the stage in sparkly 70's disco outfits, complete with giant white platforms, to perform favourites Dancing Queen, Super Trouper, Waterloo, Fernando and my own personal favourite, Money Money ( I wish ).

The entrance was dramatic, with the girls swirling around in long cloaks, headbands and tight satin flares, to a dazzling light display and smoke machine.

"Agnetha" asked the rather reserved audience in a fake Swedish accent if they were ready to party, and the show was peppered with tongue - in - cheek gags about who was going out with whom.

The highlight had to be when an ageing Benny stepped out from behind the piano and whipped off his trousers to reveal some sparkly shorts which drew gasps and giggles from the crowd, and certainly livened up the proceedings.

Two on stage explosions also helped get the crowd to their feet.

The performers, called Smackee, were accompanied by guitar and keyboards and worked hard to get the audience waving their arms, clapping, and singing along to string of Abba classics, and by the end people had shaken off their reserve and were up and dancing, havimg fun, Men in the audience were in for a real treat with blonde "Agnetha" and wigged redhead"Frida" who looked a bit like Geri Halliwell in her Spice Girls days. "Benny" wore a dodgy-looking wig and "Bjorn" - who played some stonking guitar solos refused to play ball by not wearing a wig and pretending to be a member of Whitesnake. Children were
invited to the stage to sing Thank You For The Music. This was a definite treat for Abba fans who knew all the words.

Emma Cooney