Five Guys Named Moe "an evening of fun and jazz"
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| By
Harriet Wilson
Five Guys Named Moe is a fun, lively production featuring the timeless music of Louis Jordan. The Olivier award-winning musical was first staged in 1990, and is now playing at the Marble Arch Theatre – a pop-up venue.
There is minimal plot in this show. Nomax (Edward Baruwa) is broke, single and “ain't got nothin' but the blues”, when five guys (named Moe) emerge from his radio in order to cheer him up. The rest of the show flies by in a whir of great music and playful comedy.
Five Guys Named Moe was created by Clarke Peters, the name of the production inspired by Louis Jordan's backing musicians. And so it seems appropriate to mention the flawless band who bring Jordan's music to life in and create the perfect atmosphere for this production to rest on.
With only six primary cast members, there's a lot of pressure on everybody in this production to not let energy levels lapse. Being able to see the traits of each character is also really important and, in this regard, the cast deliver, performing to a brilliantly high standard.
Something else that impressed me was this show's original, atmospheric staging, which you can start to enjoy as soon as you walk through into the theatre.
If you're looking for an evening of fun and jazz, this is the show for you. I even enjoyed the audience participation – something that I'm rarely a fan of. Five Guys Named Moe is booking until February 2018.