Liverpool had the Beatles, London had the Stones, while Manchester had... er, Freddie and the Dreamers. Perhaps on reflection the 1960s were not the city's most illustrious musical decade, though you wouldn't guess it from Debbie Horsfield's play, which follows the fortunes of a young Mancunian combo as they attempt to reach the toppermost of the poppermost.
The Ice Cubes have a cool name and a naff career as a backing band to club lothario Larry B Cool. If only they could ditch the singer and turn up their amps a little, they know they'd be within a shout of success. So when a hot-shot London producer shows up at one of their gigs they tear up their silver lamé jackets and practically invent punk rock on the spot.
Horsfield's script, a development of her television series of the same name, now comes with an appropriately groovy set of songs from former Flying Picket Hereward Kaye. Jonathan Moore treats it to a slick, pacy production, packed with style icons of the era and plenty of great, gyrating performances.
Elaine Glover gives a feisty display as Arden, a budding rock chick determined to exercise her democratic right to get a geometric haircut and wear plastic clothing. Emma Williams is deeply affecting as her sister Ellie, a would-be university student unhappily affianced to boring Norman (David Birrell) and his fleet of fish and chip vans. And Dean Stobbart is charm itself as Dallas, the leader of the band, who has such difficulty choosing between the two sisters that he impregnates them both.
Kaye's songs sound persuasive enough, and although Sex, Chips and Rock'n'Roll reinforces the cliche that it always rains in Manchester and always swings in London, it is an enjoyable homage to an era seen through rose-tinted Ray-Bans.
· Until August 6. Box office: 0161-833 9833.
.png?w=600)
