Five Guys Named Moe - A Musical

★★★★★ Five Guys Named Moe – A Musical by Clarke Peters
Featuring Louis Jordan’s Greatest Hits
Marble Arch Theatre, Marble Arch until March 2018

The thought of spending two hours in a tent at Marble Arch on a drizzly wet Monday didn’t fill me with great joy. How wrong I was! Five Guys Named Moe left me feeling on top of the world, with a spring in my step, a huge smile and humming songs by Louis Jordan that were new to me. Above all, planning my next visit to see this energetic, dazzling and truly infectious show.
                           

The tent was in fact transformed into a 1940’s New Orleans jazz nightclub setting with the most amazing effects – no spoilers you just have to go and experience it. As for the plot, there isn’t much and to be perfectly honest; it was not important as you are quickly immersed in the whole liveliness of the club.

This show is the ultimate sum of all its parts. The five guys all named Moe - Big Moe, Little Moe, Eat Moe, Know Moe and Four-Eyed Moe -  are all brilliant and are there to help their friend Nomax – Edward Baruwa - to sing and dance his way to love. All deserve a shout out – Mykal Brand, Omari Douglas, Dex Lee and Ian Carlyle but Idriss Kargobo as Little Moe was mesmerising.

Immersive theatre is very fashionable at the moment, but with Clarke Peters’ great direction and choreography & musical staging by Andrew Wright, you will feel part of this whole experience whether it be singing along, doing the conga to the bar or if you’re really fortunate becoming an honourary Moe! Might sound like audience participation but rest assured it all adds to a great night out.

                            

I really can’t recommend this show highly enough. It’s guaranteed to make Marble Arch the hottest spot in London, whatever the weather.