Captivating trip back to the Swinging Sixties

Forever Dusty, Albany Theatre, Coventry, to April 28.

This captivating trip down memory lane charts the story of Dusty Springfield, one of the UK’s best known female singers of the 1960s - from humble beginnings, to stardom, and an untimely death due to breast cancer at the age of 59.

Dusty’s singing career began when she formed The Springfields with her brother Dion in the early 60s, but it really took off when she went solo.

Katherine Ferguson is convincing as Dusty, emulating the singer’s characteristic husky voice. As the story develops we follow some of the key moments in Dusty's life such her deportation from South Africa because she was not prepared to perform to segregated audiences.

It becomes apparent that as well as her considerable musical talents, she was a trailblazer for women at that time, in spite of her darker periods of mental illness, addiction and her private struggles with love. Her lover, Claire, is played by Mvula Tampa whose vocals are terrific. In their duets, the pair’s voices compete pretty hard for attention.

A terrific selection of Dusty's hits such as You Don't Have to Say You Love Me, and Son of a Preacher Man, are crisply delivered with the help of an on-stage band, the Memphis Cats, and the accompanying film footage of 1960s shows such as Ready, Steady, Go bring the atmosphere of the Swinging Sixties back to life perfectly.

For tickets go to: https://albanytheatre.co.uk/

Pictured: Katherine Ferguson in fine voice as Dusty