Theatre Review
Wilco: Love and Death and Rock & Roll
8th August ‘25, Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham
The pre-show soundtrack insisted on the Kinks, the Who, Ian Dury and the Blockheads and the Sex Pistols etc as a musical backdrop. Contrastingly, the beautifully elaborate Everyman theatre seemed self-consciously aware of its ostentatious and perhaps incongruous surroundings; for a play about a man unconvinced by life’s facades. However, the gilt-edged play itself about Wilco Johnson’s life was as ornate and rich as any Louis XV design.
How the irascible man himself would have enjoyed the irony of the Canvey Island renegades finding themselves in this venerable theatre.
Johnson Willis had the unenviable task of igniting the central protagonist. Duly, his mannerisms, speech, persona and very nearly his rhythm/lead guitar style evoked the founding member of pub-rock firebrands Dr. Feelgood, back in an era when curly-wurlys were the size of school rulers. At times Willis even looked like Wilco in silhouette…
Wilco’s biography is certainly not black and white, for he was a complex man. Petulant and capricious at times but also artistic and poetic Johnson the mesmeric guitar-slinger was explored throughout the play. The tension between him and lead-singer Lee Brilleaux (Jon House) ratcheted up the drama – helped by the raw dialogue. The love for his young wife Irene (Georgina Fairbanks) allowed for much pathos and declarations of love to justify his errant philandering. Even the writing of Paradise – celebrating his love of two women – was explored in the play. Whoever researched the mercurial pub-blues man, must have put in a claim for overtime. I didn’t know Johnson, intimidated by the musicality of Ian Dury’s Blockheads…turned down his guitar in the live mix, for what must have been imposter syndrome? Fascinating.
Throughout the play of Johnson’s life, live performances of the Feelgood’s music were played with purposeful intensity. When the bassline for Roxette strutted out of thespeaker and the thunderous drumming ricocheted off the decorative ceiling the lady next to me startled upright. Willis was forced to memorise lines of poetry and, of course, all the actors were required to learn their lines for a near two hour play – as etiquette dictates. However, to then be expected to play instruments to replicate the Feelgoods live is quite the undertaking. One which witnessed Willis (guitar), House (vocals & harmonica), David John (drums) and Georgina Fields (bass) surely earning the flashing of many fags, as they climbed into the battered transit at the end of the night.
I have always liked bands that take to the stage like a gang; bands such as the Who, the Blockheads and the Pistols. Accordingly, the four actors on the night played as a genuine homage to the Canvey Island gang. Fields paced back and forth just like Sparko, the Big Figure made the drum kit his own and House prowled the stage like Mr. Brilleaux, even going as far as to re-enact the stage floor gymnastics. Although, the white jacket was a little too clean!
Some of the more poignant acting was required for Johnson’s diagnosis of cancer. The stark reality of the terminal illness was dealt with as only Johnson could but true to form the story did not end there…
Arrestingly, the highly personal exploration of Wilco Johnson’s life was flint-sharp honest, the humour straight out of the pub-snug and the dialogue was at times as raw as your fingertips when learning to play the guitar for the first time. And as the Kinks sang at the start of the evening, “you really got me”…as the live performances made you feel more than good.
By: Swilgate Scuttler