Review: Punk Off! The Sounds of Punk and New Wave, Dominion Theatre 

In Punk Off!, Ged Graham has put together a compilation of the best Punk and New Wave music from the UK: not quite musical theatre, not really a tribute band concert, it sits somewhere in the middle. And whether you’re a fan of the music or not, it is generally recognised that this movement had a lasting influence on culture both at the time and going forward.  

I guess whenever Punk music is mentioned the first band that comes to mind for most people would be The Sex Pistols, and, yes, they are of course featured here – but so are Jilted John, Plastic Bertrand and everything in between. Even David Bowie gets a look in. There are so many bands and songs in the show I lost count quite early on, each morphing seamlessly to the next and performed to a consistently high standard. 

All of the musicians deserve a mention and now is as good a time as any; Adam Evans, Reece Davies and Lazy Violet on vocals, Rick Yarborough on drums and vocals and Phil Sherlock on bass and vocals. The mix of emulating the original tracks or performing in their own style worked well, with Lazy Violet not quite as strong as others on the night, but I suspect that may have been due to fatigue. The whole cast seemed exhausted, which is not surprising as this was the final performance of a national tour that has been on the road since January. There was no let-up in the energy though. Thank you cast! 

Focusing on New Wave, the ever so slightly less manic second half is just as lively as the first, both parts gelling thanks to Kevin Kennedy’s narration. He appears throughout the evening, giving short introductions, providing humour and some context on what was happening in the world at the time of the music. These interludes help ground the show, giving it some structure and elevating it from being a straightforward music act. Kennedy also gets to sing a Stranglers number and an excellent rendition of one by Elvis Costello.   

The other extra bit is the dancing. There is a nod to the Pogo, and the routines provide an opportunity to showcase the fashions of the time, although this does not really add much else to the first half other than being a bit of a distraction. I accept the chaos and carnage of a full-on mosh pit would be totally impractical but the numbers are rather too polished and well-rehearsed to be Punk – more like a family friendly ‘Disneyfied’ version. The choreography sits much better in the second, New Wave, part and I have to commend the energy and skill of the dancers.  

An appropriately basic set, costumes relevant to the era and a good sound system (i.e. loud) all assist the multi-talented cast in delivering an energetic and exciting show. I updated my playlist as soon as I got home. 

Directed and Book by: Ged Graham
Director of Music: Adam Evans
Produced by: Prestige Productions
Choreography and Staging by: Louisa Clark
Sound Engineering by: Alistair Penman

Punk Off! The Sounds of Punk and New Wave has completed its current run.