Ovation's 'It's Only Make Believe'
Chris Burgess
Genre: Jukebox
Cast size: 9+
Duration: 1hr 50m approx
Chris Burgess | Musical | Jukebox | Full Length | 4-6m, 5f
Short synopsis
- Synopsis
- Characters
- Reviews
‘It’s Only Make Believe’ borrows an idea from Woody Allen and a style from Bob Carlton' 'Return To The Forbidden Planet'. There are eighteen great songs - popular tunes of the 50w, 60s and 70s. The show features words and music made famous by, amongst others, Queen, Bobby Darin, Elvis Presley, Darts, Neil Sedaka, Tammy Wynette and Status Quo.
The action takes place over two months between November 1977 and January 1978. (There is also a one song flashback to 1942). Setting is the foyer of ‘The Roxy’ a derelict cinema. Just a couple of minor script changes will turn the location into a cinema in any major UK city!
The leading lady Carol and her boss, high-flying businesswoman Bev, are trying to refurbish a derelict cinema and turn it into a movie café. We meet Carol’s fiancée Kevin, a bit of a wimp, (he later reinvents himself) and her wheelchair-bound Gran who used to work at the cinema selling ice-creams. Carol opens some rusty old film cans and out pops an assortment of ‘B’ movie stars whose films have never been shown. These ‘characters’ (not ghosts but “make-believe” characters) have been languishing in the cellar for years. We meet Brad Maguire – the all-action American hero (a cross between Indiana Jones and Errol Flynn); Donna Deecup – fifties icon and blond bombshell; Frankie de Chino – Mafia hit man and star of ‘Mother’s Day Shoot Out’ and Lola Del Monte – the Spanish seductress who always says yes!
The film characters all try to solve Carol’s problems and in an interesting twist we discover that Carol’s granny once had an affair with the actor who played Brad Maguire. Eventually Carol and Bev’s dreams are realised, and the Roxy is set to re-open with a season of ‘B’ movies ‘Gone but not Forgotten!’ Hopes and dreams come true in this musical - featuring hit songs from the Fifties, Sixties and Seventies.
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