REVIEW: All Or Nothing The MOD Musical By Carol Harrison @ Storyhouse Chester

All Or Nothing The MOD musical burst onto the stage of Storyhouse Chester with gusto on Wednesday evening. Whilst the rain threatened to dampen spirits, the cast of the "coolest musical ever" were having none of it and graced the audience with their magnificent presence as they shared the story of  Iconic MOD band The Small Faces and in particular spotlighting the life of it's lead singer Steve Marriott.

All or Nothing provides a wonderful insight into the journey of the 1960's band which consisted of Kenney Jones, Ian McLagan, Ronnie Lane and Steve Marriott. It is a nostalgic revisit to the 1960's, a special era of music. The show is doing it's part in keeping the scene alive and kicking. We gain a deep insight into the life of lead singer and complex character Steve Marriott.

In the first scene, we are greeted by the incredible Chris Simmons who plays an older and wiser Steve Marriott and acts as the narrator throughout. He posthumously recalls the series of events which comprise Marriott's journey from youth to stardom. We are intimately drawn into Marriotts' life and weaved into the fabric of his essence via the mesmerising delivery by Simmons. We see the ups and the downs, the ego-trips, the romantic escapades and the untimely demise of this iconic figure. Kudos to Simmons, he perfectly captures Marriott's fall from the pedestal of fame. The audience witness the self-sabotage as the ruination of both career and life takes place right before their eyes.

This has truly been a labour of love for its writer Carol Harrison over the past five years and a worthwhile one at that as the outcome is truly exceptional. I left the theatre having a greater awareness of the band The Small faces who I knew nothing about beforehand and felt a deep sense of gratitude for the energy that was invested by all involved in this MOD musical production.

The fabulous Carol Harrison as Steve Marriott's long-suffering mother Kay

I had the pleasure of speaking with writer Carol Harrison and executive producer Charles Ledigo after the show. I was able to congratulate them on an epic production. The scenes were executed with passion and precision. The audience felt an affinity towards Steve Marriott and his close circle and this was a testament to the skill of the actors as well as the strength of the script. 

The story of The Small Faces was emotionally portrayed. It is a poignant tale which follows the four young band members from their initial dabble with performing as a collective to their living out the full blown rock n roll hedonistic lifestyles. The tale is a bittersweet one however as we watch the dream crumble as they are subject to the greed and exploitation from their inadequate management. Strong themes of corruption, betrayal, disappointment and loss run through the fabric of the story-line. The fact that this is based on real life events adds extra poignancy and weight to the narrative.

Cast of the show before Press Night. Also captured Cai Roberts (Scooterboy) Photo by Shazney Spence

The band were fantastic and their instrument playing matched their vocal ability. The audience received with glee songs such as Whatcha Gonna Do About It, All Or Nothing, Tin Soldier, Lazy Sunday, Here Comes The Nice and Itchycoo Park"

Although the band were only together for a mere four years, their sound has undoubtedly left an incredible legacy on the music industry. They achieved so much during their short time together, it is a travesty that they were not fairly credited until long after they had died. Their induction to the Rock 'N ' Roll hall of fame was evidence of this tardy recognition. 

Each of the cast members were exceptional and some particular characters who stood out for me were as follows: Chris Simmons (Steve Marriott). He was witty and endearing, able to show the three dimensional facets to Marriott's personality with ease and he was convincing in his portrayal of the unpredictable yet suave and charismatic front man. His introspection is deep and the audience hangs onto his every word.  Carol Harrison (who played Kay, Steve Marriott's mum). The tender scenes displaying her grief and outpouring of raw emotion were impeccable. She immerses her soul into this role with such passion. Her grief and pain are palpable and her portrayal utterly convincing. Samuel Pope as young Steve Marriott was fantastic and vaguely reminiscent of Nicholas Lyndhurst. He was poised and engaging as the singer which lended itself to an effortless delivery both vocally and in terms of his execution of the role. In addition, I rated highly Stanton Wright's performance as Ronnie Lane as well as Melissa Brown-Taylor's role as the legendary PP Arnold. Kudos to the entire cast and crew. I cannot wait to see this again and recommend it highly. This truly is a show about taste and testosterone and an eclectic mix of emotions thrown in for good measure. 

Expect plenty of Cockney Slang and authentic scenes from the Cult MOD era. It is a wonderful dialogue and compelling commentary around some key themes and issues. It's a must see. I don''t know about All or Nothing, this should be renamed as All and Everything. It's a magnificent show which will have you captivated from the outset. 

Hurry as the show only runs at The Storyhouse until Saturday 30th September. Tickets can be purchased here and are subject to a £1.50 booking fee.

PR Rating 5 stars in Coolness.