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By Jane Wharton
PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES at the Queens Theatre Hornchurch
LOVERS of country and rock n' roll music should head to the Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch, for a tribute to life on the American Highway.
The talented actor-musicians from the theatre's Cut to the Chase company produce yet another entertaining evening in their latest production Pump Boys and Dinettes.
The high-octane musical celebrates the lives of a group of unlikely friends working along Highway 57 somewhere between Frog Level and Smyrna, North Carolina.
On one side of the road is a gas station run by four laid back, happy-go-lucky guys who provide service with a smile, when they are not off fishing. On the opposite side of the road is the Double Cupp diner run by two hard-working sisters where fun and pie is always on the menu.
With 21 songs there is, unfortunately, very little room for a plot line or character development, but the tunes are all belted out with pitch-perfect enthusiasm by all six stars.
There are a number of wonderful highlights, such as the toe-tapping Be Good or Be Gone, The Night Dolly Parton Was Almost Mine and the suggestive Tips.
The sets evoke small-town life well but it was a shame the show does not allow for a greater interaction between the characters.
The cast are incredibly talented and it was a joy to watch them play such a large number of instruments, including guitars, the spoons and the double bass. A special mention should go to James Eaton (Jim) whose narrative holds the show together.
The audience is encouraged to clap and join in but there was a bit too much audience participation for my liking when a man was dragged on stage for a photograph after winning an air freshener in a raffle.
However, there were some funny and wonderful moments so fans of American music should hop on the highway and head to Hornchurch. Pump Boys and Dinettes runs until Saturday April 2. Tickets cost �8.50-16 and are available from the box office on 01708 443333.
Epping Forest Guardian - Friday 18th March 2005
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