| Fast Food – The Musical! | Fast Food – The Musical! By Rob Alderton Performed by the Cygnature Theatre Trust Wycombe Swan Theatre 20-23 July 2005 Eves: 7.30pm Sat: 2.30 pm Box Office: 01494 512000 |
When you've worked in musical theatre for some 24 years, you're bound to know a bit about it! You know what audiences like and you've made a lot of contacts, so, there comes a time when you know that you can do-it-yourself – and that’s just what Buckinghamshire's Rob Alderton has done. Rob has gathered together contacts that he has made in the past two decades, working on major West End shows and international tours, to work with a popular local theatre company to put on a musical he has written about one of today’s hot topics.
 | | Rob Alderton |
And the result is that the world premier of Fast Food – The Musical will be at the Wycombe Swan this week. Performed by High Wycombe's own Cygnature Theatre Trust, the show takes a satirical yet poignant look at the early days of the fast food phenomenon, all wrapped up in an original story of, rivalry, romance and real consumer issues. Momentum So why Fast Food? Rob explains that the idea came to him whilst eating out - and soon gathered momentum. "The idea of writing about food came from stuffing my face" he says. "Although it would be unfair to call it a fast food outlet – it was a rather good trattoria actually! "But we were having a conversation about what stupid thing could we write a musical about. There was already Chess - I mean what a ridiculous idea for a musical chess is?! So we were trying to think of something unusual to write a musical on and there it was. It's all around us and it's topical." Of course, Rob soon saw that what started out as a ridiculous concept for a show actually had legs. For a start, not a day passes without the subject appearing in the media, whether it be to do with obesity levels or concerns about its ingredients. It is one of THE subjects of the moment. And people care about it. "I wanted to find a subject which touched a wide audience and write a piece which appealed to the public, performers and producers alike" he continues. "The aim of the show is to entertain, but also to inform and educate. It’s not political or alarmist, but it might cause you to think a little." Fast Food – The Musical follows the fortunes of GoodeBurger, and its two founders Johnnie Goode and Dan Crawford – two men with equal, but differing, vision. It all starts in post-war America where the success of Interstate meant that you needed to cater for a new group of people – people who were on the move and eating in their vehicles. They needed meals quickly, so fewer items were sold and served in paper. In the show, Goodeburger is the company that revolutionises the restaurant industry, as their radical idea, Fast Food, spreads across the globe, causing a deepening rift between the two main characters. "Johnnie's dream is that one day he'd like a restaurant" explains Rob. So Dan buys him his first restaurant and in so doing cons him out of that vital one per cent which is his name. | "The aim of the show is to entertain, but also to inform and educate. It’s not political or alarmist, but it might cause you to think a little." | | Rob Alderton, writer of Fast Food - The Musical. |
"Then Dan takes Johnnie's ideas and his recipes and turns them into a global monster much against Johnnie's wishes. At the end Johnnie hates the idea so much that he destroys his own monster. "It starts off light and fluffy with new horizons and fantastic new inventions and it is very hopeful” he continues. "It gets darker as they look at driving the prices down, the same old story of global companies. They go cheap and they cut corners. "They end up with a production line for food which gets smaller until Dan has this idea that they can do away with people altogether and just use a machine." Entertainment But despite this quite serious message, Rob is quick to point out that it is first and foremost a piece of entertainment and a show the whole family can truly enjoy. And the script, which he has written with Steve Jones, is both humorous and revealing. He says that while on the whole it is a critique of the industry he is not trying to preach, and the show is not a pop at any of the leading brands. It may have parallels with some, but it is clearly not any one of them. It is also not a musical version of Eric Schlosser's book, Fast Food Nation. Rob just wants to give the audience something to think about, with some fun and great music along the way. "The finale says - fact or fiction, you decide and then have the conviction to say it with pride” explains Rob. "It's basically saying to the audience - 'look guys - make up your own mind. Here's a take on it'. It very much invites the audience to have a think about it. It's not political flag waving. It does not say you must not eat this stuff but it does suggest what might be put in it. It's a piece of entertainment first and something to think about as well. "There are lots of sub plots, lots of singing and lots of dancing and even roller skating – but hopefully they won't end up in the orchestra pit" he laughs. "The story works on several levels. First of all, it is about three people an audience will care enough about to want to spend an evening in theatre with! There's romance, heartache, conflict, lots of humour – and it’s a little naughty in places. "The story has edge - it could be influential, food for though you might say, but equally - many, and children especially, will just love the spectacle." And fun for the children comes in the form of Goodeburger's mascot Goodie the Bear who reveals himself to be a failed actor and does a comedy waltz. Appeal The music of course is very important and Rob naturally doesn't want to pigeon-hole his work. Having musically directed over 100 productions (14 different versions of Grease alone!), musical theatre has always been at the centre of Rob’s life. And of course being his ‘baby’ so to speak, he wouldn't want to liken Fast Food to anything that’s been done before. But he does say that if you enjoy musical theatre it will appeal. What he can reveal though is that there are 20 new and catchy songs, in various styles - the slippery comedy duo, rock 'n' roll chorus numbers, heart-wrenching ballads, love duets, the big rock ending to act 1, etc. "The beginnings are set in the 50s so I guess it sounds like Grease" he explains. "It's musical theatre set in the 50s with rock and roll and power ballads along the Lloyd Webber lines. "I don't know what to liken it to really. It's a rock and roll musical I suppose and travels with the times so as the company grows up the music grows up. "I suppose if you like standard musical theatre from The Boyfriend to Les Mis, there'll be something in it for you really. There's no punk rock or classical arias though! It's right down the middle, it's a family thing." With his extensive knowledge of touring theatre, Rob has also written very practically. The show has been crafted to work on the large professional stage, but having worked with many regional and youth theatre groups he has ensured that the piece will also be accessible to amateur companies and youth theatres in years to come. "I've played in 200 or 300 shows and all the time I've been learning" he says. "I was determined I'd write for a nine piece band because that's a good size to get all the textures and sounds and not too big so you couldn't tour it. "I didn't want a company of thousands because it would be too expensive to put on and I didn't want set changes every five minutes because that's dull and also expensive. So it's a one piece set that changes, a nine piece orchestra and it's written for 14 people, although we've put a few more in for Cygnature. It's written to work on tour, or in the West End or to work on the amateur stage." Robe hopes that this careful thought will pay off, and that the show will eventually be taken on professionally, even internationally! After all, the phrase is already known globally! The German is Das Fast Food and the French is Le Fast Food. Departure But having worked with Cygnature before, he knows that they are the ideal company to first showcase his work. Several production houses, both in London and abroad, have expressed interest in the project and liked the concept and the songs but were keen to see it working on the stage. Cygneture's producer, Tony Taylor was looking for a show to fill their July slot at the Swan and this seemed an idea opportunity to present something new and exciting. "It's such a departure for both Cygnature and the Swan" says Rob. "They don't usually showcase new work so it's very exciting that they're all taking a risk. "I'm the Musical Director as well but as it gets near I'm going to hand it over to somebody else because one thing I have to know is that the show works without me. "On the night I don't want to be doing anything other than panicking! As well as schmoozing if these producers come and see it!! "I'm very nervous obviously. I hope people don't think it's a lightweight because it's a proper full blown musical and Cygnature do tend to tackle the bigger challenging musicals." Favourite Rob has also gathered together people that he has met during his years in the business. "It's really exciting - all my favourite people in the world are in this" he explains. "Keyboard One is from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the sound designer is the guy who did Les Mis. The conductor Chris Grant was my music teacher who taught me to conduct so I thought it was only fair to drop him in it! "This is the project to bring them altogether on and it's fantastic for me that I'm surrounded by such a strong friendly team - it's wonderful." He does admit that putting on a new untried work does present a few problems though! "There is much that's unknown" he reveals. "About two weeks into rehearsals we realised how much food was going to be consumed on stage and we need litter bins and stuff so there's all sorts of new things that we're discovering." Roundabouts Theatre is both Rob's hobby and his career and he is inextricably linked to High Wycombe, by virtue of its roundabouts. "Strange but true – I have played in every venue around the main roundabout system" he says. "Including The Swan Theatre, The Oak Room, Town Hall. Police Station, Fire Station, Wycombe Abbey, School, The Rye, British Legion, Octagon Centre, The Lancaster Arts Centre, Wycombe College, The Liberal Club and The Hospital. "The ONLY venue on the roundabout I haven't performed in the Staples the stationers!" As a musician he is not only a Musical Director. Five years ago he joined the band Sailor who had hits with 'Girls, Girls Girls' and 'A Glass of Champagne'. He has just completed a UK tour with them but performs mostly in Europe, especially in Germany where Sailor perform to crowds of up to 30,000. "They virtually disappeared from these shores sometime ago but are still quite big in Germany” he says. "Sailor's alive and gigging!" "I'm a musician. I would like to be a writer, but in the mean time I have to carve a living as a conductor and as a musician. And I have a sound company which provides sound for amateur theatres "The thing about performing is that there's no security and no pension but with writing, well one hopes that will generate an income beyond." Rob cites the example of fellow Sailor member Phil Pickett who wrote Culture Club’s number one hit Karma Chameleon. "If I'm honest, he doesn't have to perform anymore" says Rob. "You just need one big song. I'm told that Grace's Ballad in Fast Food – "How Can Something So Right Go So Wrong" – is 'THE ONE' but finger's crossed on that one!"
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