Sex And Drugs And Rock And Roll

For many the late Ian Dury was a legend. He and his band The Blockheads were probably one of the best groups to come out of the punk revolution of the late 1970s. Ian's writing was pure poetry set to music. Who can forget the lyrics to Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick? Rhyming all those countries and including a smattering of French and German. Then there is the outrageous 'Spasticus Autisticus'. Let's not forget the amazing "Reasons to be Cheerful Part Three". I don't think there was ever a part one, or a part two.

Why am I telling you all this? Well tonight Gail and I went to the Playhouse to see a musical based around some of his songs, played and sung by the people in the cast, many of whom had some sort of disability. Ian himself suffered with polio. Reasons To Be Cheerful told the story of some supermarket staff who were planning on seeing an Ian Dury concert at the Hammersmith Palais, but they couldn't get tickets. One of them steals the shop manager's, but on the way to the gig they have a slight car accident and end up on at the seaside where the family rent a beach hut.

It was the last night tonight and the group did an encore after receiving a standing ovation at the end of the show. This was well deserved, as it was a brilliant show. The wheelchair bound lead singer did an excellent job of singing in a style of Ian's, but without trying to copy his unique vocal style.

I managed to take a couple of shots at the finale before being told off by a member of staff. This sort of thing does annoy me, as I wasn't using a flash and I wasn't in anyone's way. He told someone else off as well, and they were only using a cameraphone.