How Sweet It Is – Motown’s Greatest Hits Playhouse

I went to the Playhouse to see and enjoy this production being an avid Motown fan.

I wasn’t disappointed in any way even though it was really just a tribute to that great label, their artistes and songs.

The five lads on stage collectively called The Formations, (not the original Formations some may remember, formed in Philadelphia in 1966), put on a slick performance with some nice and humorous link talk and inter action with mainly the ladies of the audience. The dance routines were excellent and the energy – well goodness knows where they got it from to perform non-stop for two full hour sets!

All the great Motown hits were included in this show and various segments concentrated on the Greats: – Stevie Wonder, Four Tops, Temptations, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, the great Edwin Starr, even a stick out Martha Reeves and the Vandellas song. Oh yes, and for good measure a song by non Motown artist ‘The Voice’ Luther Vandross and in the encore The O’Jays. It was Disco revisited and had Dads and Mums in the audience dancing!

Really I could name the songs that stood out for me personally and I am sure those who attended would all differ, however the version of The Temptations “My Girl”, they performed was just that bit different, putting their own style to the song, which they did with a few but this was a stand out.

Great night, a party night, and one, if you ever get the chance to see, I would strongly recommend to you and I assure you that you will not be disappointed even though you may not actually be a fan of Motown, but let’s face it fan or not no matter what song is sung you will know it – and probably the lyrics as well!

Ian Robertson