Prolonged whistles, whoops and applause erupted at the end of John Godber’s latest play, many in the audience overwhelmed with delight at having been taken on such a mesmerising, uplifting journey, full of music, dance, smiles and laughter and tinged, too, with sadness.
The play takes its title, Do I Love You? from a particular 1965 Frank Wilson Motown hit that sits right at the heart of the huge music-dance phenomenon known as Northern Soul. As we dip into the lives, interactions and relationships of three current-day twenty-somethings from ‘Ull (aka Hull) who are struggling to get by in this post-Covid era, we see how gradually, step by step, they get caught up in the Northern Soul music-dance scene. Thrills of joy and nostalgia abound for enthusiasts in the audience but even those with no knowledge of this world are captivated by this beautifully crafted and balanced play, perfectly performed. All skips and zips along on an intricately choreographed, clever interweave and patterning of short, non-linear scenes from the characters’ lives, past and present, as dancing dialogue and sparkling humour are interspersed or accompanied by synchronized dance steps and snatches of classic sound tracks. Riveting.
The three actors are wonderful, especially Martha Godber in the central role as the more intense and emotional Sally. Through their synchronized, buoyant ping-pong of repartee, super comic timing and delivery of choreographed conversations, their sincere narration direct to audience and well-oiled transitions from scene to contrasting scene, they create highly believable characters who draw us into their lives. As Sally’s friend Nat(alie), Chloe MacDonald transforms several times to fine effect, just by the addition of a headscarf, into Sally’s pivotal role Northern Soul gran with her stash of vinyl up in the attic, long ago gifted her by a mysterious GI “friend”. Meanwhile, Emilio Encinoso-Gil transforms from young Kyle into 68-year-old Northern Souler, Keith, by changing body shape and grabbing a fag and then striking a modern bell with the youngsters as he recalls how the 1970s were worrying times with cost-of-living crises, poor job opportunities and endless struggle. The only relief and escape was to immerse body and soul in low-cost, nightlong, soulful emotion and vigorous dancing (and the odd stimulant!).
The three performers master a great deal of energetic physical coordination and deftly integrate it with their verbal acrobatics, all combinations blending with impressive seamlessness and to wonderful humorous effect – as when they don headsets and baseball caps as a trio of reluctant drive-thro’ fast food booth employees.
Set and props are minimal since the play has us focus entirely on characters, dance and music: delicate strings of lights act as backdrop to a few simple chairs, table, crate, a few drinks, some bags and speakers, a bowling ball, a wacky-baccy tin, a headscarf and some dustings of talc. With these we can travel to gran’s, to a Cleethorpes dance floor, to a bowling alley or to A&E, taking hilarious bus rides en-route. All the while, the smooth-step sequences and transitions owe much to the fact that choreographer Sally Malley was World Northern Soul Dance champ 2022, and the breathtaking, sliding, gliding, twisting, turning, pirouetting high-kick finale she’s devised for Sally almost brings the house down.
Northern Soul with its diverse range of music genres appeals to diverse generations and it’s all about commitment, passion, spirit and “Keeping the Faith.” Award-winning playwright John Godber OBE (of Bouncers, Up ‘n‘ Over, Teechers etc. etc) reflects this brilliantly. After all, throughout his director decades with Hull Truck Theatre Company and with his own company since then, he and various family members have also poured their own commitment, passion and spirit into writing, acting, directing and nurturing all creative aspects of the theatrical arts.
This funny, lively play is a wonderful way of sharing some of that exhilarating soul and passion.
Eileen Caiger Gray
