All or Nothing – The Mod Musical Wyvern Theatre Until September 20

THE Wyvern Theatre was transported back to the 60s for the opening night of All Or Nothing, a musical set in the mod era.

The show is based on one of the iconic bands of that era, the Small Faces and focuses on lead singer Steve Marriott, who was just as well known for his ballsy attitude as his sensational stage talents.

All Or Nothing starts at the end and works backwards. It begins in 1968 at Alexandra Palace. Marriott is playing a gig in an aggressive manner, before losing his temper and smashing up his guitar.

We then meet the narrator of the night, an older Marriott, who looks back on his past.

As the play progresses, we learn how his mum wanted him to go into acting while he was committed to rhythm and blues. We watch how the Small Faces came into being.

It's a very funny musical and the audience was in hysterics at various points, especially in one particular scene where some crazed fans ransacked the stage and went for the lads.

It reflected the mod ethos of being working class and free spirits. The actors, who played the band, perfectly portrayed the cheeky cockneys.

The audience loved the hits including Lazy Sunday, Itchycoo Park, Tin Soldier and the classic All or Nothing.

We were also treated to some other 60s hits, including a fantastic rendition of Dusty Springfield’s You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me.

Watching this show was like reading a history book. We got some interesting true facts, such as how Steve ended up with Rod Stewart’s ex-girlfriend, and how Steve’s band ended up with Rod Stewart - they became The Faces.

As well as laughter there were some tears, as we see how the band dissolved along with Steve’s state of mind.

This show runs until tomorrow at the Wyvern Theatre and I would definitely recommend it because even if you weren’t around in the 60s, we can all appreciate this golden era of sound and what it represented.

- KELLY JOBANPUTRA