Great fun in Dreamcoats and Petticoats

Dreamboats and Petticoats is a major moment for Anna Campkin, her first major musical in her professional career.
By The Newsroom
Published 4th Mar 2012, 08:27 BST

And it’s proving a great one to start with (Theatre Royal Brighton, Monday, March 5-Saturday, March 10).

“It’s fantastic,” says Anna. “We are just having such a great time. It’s a real feel-good show and we are all loving it.” Inspired by the smash-hit million-selling albums Dreamboats and Petticoats One, Two and Three, the musical features some of the greatest songs from the rock ‘n’ roll era. Written by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, the team behind Goodnight Sweetheart, Birds of a Feather, The New Statesmen and Shine On Harvey Moon, the show promises to take you back to a time when each passing week brought another classic track. In 1961 emotions run high as young musicians Norman and Bobby compete to win a national song-writing competition – and, more importantly, the attention of the gorgeous Sue. But when Bobby discovers that shy Laura is no slouch on the piano, love and rock ‘n’ roll fame beckon… All part of it are songs including Let’s Dance, To Know Him Is To Love Him, Shaking All Over, Bobby’s Girl, Three Steps To Heaven, Little Town Flirt, Only Sixteen, Runaround Sue, Happy Birthday Sweet 16, Let It Be Me, Great Pretender, C’mon Everybody and Let’s Twist Again.

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“It’s very comedic, and I get some of the best one-liners”, says Anna, who plays Donna: “Donna is very feisty. She is great fun. She has got a very dry humour, but her heart is in the right place. Sue is her friend and she is essentially a tart with a heart - though not in a bad sense. We are all very young. But there is some great comedy stuff between us. She is so ditzy and Donna is so dry!”

Originally from Wimborne, Anna trained at the Guildford School of Acting: “I had the best three years. It was fantastic, but hard work. If anyone says it is easy, they are fooling themselves. I learnt so much about my craft but I also learnt so much about myself as well. You are constantly being pushed to the limit. We were sometimes working from 8.30 in the morning until 11 o’clock at night. It really gets your stamina going!”