Punk Off - The Sounds of Punk and New Wave
As we enter, we see the backdrop depicting the iconic Camden Lock bridge, complete with graffiti. A raised section upstage centre, set up like a gig with all the instruments laid out, instantly sets the British punk tone.
There seems to be a new trend in jukebox musicals: selecting hit songs rather than ones that expand the narrative. If we were to be picky, this approach feels more like a play with musical breaks. However, this show was not even that. It was more of a fantastic cover band interspersed with a few reflective thoughts on punk—so sparse, I can’t even call it narration, as there was no real narrative.
Kevin Kennedy, known by some as Curly Watts from Coronation Street, delivered all the lines of the show as the Narrator. He would appear in a leather jacket, sharing information or an anecdote about punk, often with clichés like ‘the music that defined a generation’, he also sang a couple of numbers. Crediting Ged Graham with the book seems a generous statement. Given all the political unrest in the world today, there could have easily been a statement or a linking thought to the idea of punk, but it was all just name-dropping.
In the first half, we enjoyed all the classic punk songs you know and love, with the rest of the cast appearing to freestyle much of the dancing, yet looking fantastically punk rock while doing it.
There were some curious moments, such as bringing on tables and chairs at the start, which gave the impression we were about to see a musical with a storyline. A door as a set piece reinforced this view, but it was never used. In the programme, the cast are referred to as ‘featured artist’ or ‘featured dancer’. One funny and lovely moment was when one of the techies came out to help move and secure the trucks; he joined in with the dancing and added to the punk spirit.
Had this been a celebration or an awards event, I would have loved it. The performances are great, and the energy never dips. It needed to be on an outside summer festival stage, or inside somewhere we could stand, drink, and dance. Instead, we had a few people popping up to dance here and there while the ushers played whack-a-mole. I was sat next to a particularly aggressive chair dancer, and by the interval, I was feeling quite nauseous and seasick from the constant rocking of the chairs.
After the interval, the music shifted to the new wave style we see in the title, less what I would call punk, with songs such as ‘Ça plane pour moi’, ‘Once in a Lifetime’, and ‘Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick’, which visibly didn’t sit well with our more classic punk audience. Another song we were treated to was ‘Hanging on the Telephone’, this time with a choreographed dance in the style of Bob Fosse, which didn’t entirely sit right with me. The dances in the second half, choreographed by Louisa Clark, were more ‘choreographed’ than those in the first half, though some of them were literal interpretations of the song lyrics. At one point, beach balls were thrown into the audience, keeping you on your toes—or hitting you on the head if you were unsuspecting—and one number I couldn’t watch without a hand up, blocking the constant lights flashing at the audience.
Go for the music, not the show. Hopefully, it's the last time I hear an audience member shout “Get your c*ck out” in the theatre, but you never know.
This show was reviewed on the 9th March 2025 at the Dominion Theatre, London. Details of the show can be found here: Punk Off! - The Sounds of Punk & New Wave
Review written by Valentine Gale-Sides
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Photo credit : Stephen Niblett
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