‘Livvy & Pete: The Songs of Olivia Newton-John and Peter Allen’ is a celebration of two musical icons that made Australia proud on the world stage.
First comes an announcement that the show is classified C for Camp, contains lycra, ‘80s jazzercise and roller skates; and the festivities accelerate from there!
Enter stage left the effervescent Michael Griffiths, decked in white and Hawaiian attire, launching straight into song. Followed shortly stage right by Amelia Ryan in the full black lycra ‘Grease’ outfit.
She joins enthusiastically in their version of ‘Not the Boy Next Door’ before they introduce themselves. They are amusing hosts in the nothing's-a-secret vein, inviting a sense of intimacy from the start, hoping we are all as besotted with Livvy and Pete as they claim to be, and encouraging us to sing our hearts out (“we've got the microphones so we can drown you out if we need to!”)
With some song, self-revelation, and deftly delivered witty lines along with the chat, the duo quickly endears themselves to the audience. The fact they can sing so well (and Michael Griffiths plays piano superbly too) is part of it, but the feeling that they love to sing and entertain is what clinches it. Around the room the die-hard fans who want to hear the songs, the merely curious and those dragged along, all visibly warm and relax as if in the company of long-standing life-of-the-party friends.
As well as doing beautiful renditions of classic songs they know how to get a party going: this show is a bit of everything: a quiz (Livvy trivia), a singing lesson, reminiscence on being a teenager besotted with musical heroes/heroines, a tongue-in-cheek tribute to ‘80s culture and dance routines, and a gentle dig at Aussie pride in those that leave us for success. Soon they have us all singing along, and everything is so good-humoured that they generate some of the best audience participation ever seen.
Keep an eye out for this pair: they will stop at nothing to have fun on stage and make sure you want to laugh and sing out loud too.
★★★★★
