Buddy : The Buddy Holly Story – The Lowry, Salford

Writer: Alan Janes

Director: Matt Salisbury

During his brief 18 month career Buddy Holly demonstrated the potential of rock music to be a valid art form. Writing and performing his own songs Holly set the template for musicians who followed in his path. In its own way Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story, written by Alan Janes, is just as influential being one of the first ‘jukebox’ musicals, introducing the concept of using established songs rather than new material.

The format for the musical is tentative suggesting a degree of uncertainty as to what audiences might accept. The result is a combination of short biographical material and a tribute act, each of the two acts conclude with a staged re-creation of a live concert. Even so there are inconsistencies – a narrator figure, Joshua Barton’s DJ Hipockets Duncan, appears in the opening scenes then vanishes until making a shock acknowledgement of Holly’s passing at the conclusion.

In 1956 Lubbock, Texas, Buddy Holly (AJ Jenks) and his band The Crickets struggle against the confines of the country and western music format.  A sympathetic producer, Norman Petty (Thomas Fabian Parrish), allows the band to expand into rock and roll resulting in rapid financial success and some of the greatest songs ever written.

As success builds, Holly moves his attention towards the New York music scene causing tensions with, and ultimately a break-up from, his bandmates. To promote his solo career Holly takes part in the gruelling ‘Winter Dance Party of 1959’ tour sharing the bill with other stars and making a decision which has tragic results.

The non-concert parts of the musical provide brief biographical details which are largely well-known.  Producer Petty negotiates a contract financially advantageous to himself, Holly pioneers vocal overdubs and the song title ‘Peggy Sue’ is chosen to flatter drummer Jerry Allison’s girlfriend. But there is the occasional surprise such as The Crickets agreeing to pay a tithe from their earnings to the church. There is little space for humour but director Matt Salisbury introduces light visual touches with the nervous band facing the all-black Harlem audience as if confronting a firing squad and the newly confident Crickets striding around New York in uniform step and identical clothing.

The two staged concerts serve more than one purpose. Buddy Holly & the Crickets was the first white band to perform at Harlem’s Apollo Theatre and the staged re-creation acknowledges the debt rock and roll owes to black music. It also gives Miguel Angel the chance to perform a trouser-splitting routine as soul singer Tyrone Jones which he later reprises as Ritchie Valens.  There is also the opportunity to appreciate how, in the 1950s; rock and roll was still considered close to a novelty act with the bands goofing around and the double bass used for acrobatics.

The conditions of Holly’s final tour were so arduous he charted a plane so as to escape the freezing weather and reach the next venue promptly, leading to his early death. However, the re-creation of the Winter Dance Party concert, which absorbs most of act two, allows the audience to celebrate Holly’s stunning songs rather than mourn his passing.

If the current production of Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story fails to please an audience it is certainly not the fault of a hugely committed cast who tear into their parts with ferocity. All of the cast are actor-musicians playing instruments live and most take on more than one role, poor Thomas Fabian Parrish becoming a master of ceremonies and having to tell a series of poor jokes as the set is changed for the final concert. Whilst never losing Buddy’s country boy innocent charm AJ Jenks choses to highlight his toughness and determination with an Elvis/James Dean sneer as he insists on performing his songs as intended.

Whilst the format of Buddy – The Buddy Holly may be showing its age it remains a joyful celebration of wonderful music.

Runs until 27^th September 2025