By John Burland

Our House is a musical with music and lyrics by Madness and one song “It Must Be Love” written by Labi Siffre and a book by playwright Tim Firth.

Premiering at The Cambridge Theatre in 2002, Our House was the winner of the 2003 Olivier award for Best New Musical and has since gone on to tour both nationally and internationally to great acclaim.

This week, it is being performed at Guiseley Theatre by Guiseley Theatrical Productions (formerly Guiseley Amateurs).

Through the music of Madness, writer Tim Firth explores the themes of love, family values, growing up, responsibility and dealing with losing the people that shape us. The show opens with Camden lad Joe Casey arriving at his house, later joined by his best friends Emmo and Lewis, his girlfriend Sarah, and her best friends Billie and Angie, where a party has been organised by his mother, Kath, for his sixteenth birthday. After the party, wanting to impress Sarah, Joe breaks into a building site to show her his street, Casey Street, from on high. When the police arrive, Joe convinces Sarah to run away and is left with the decision of whether to run away or give himself up. The story then splits into two paths revealed by the ghost of Joe’s dead criminal dad: the right path where Joe gives himself up, and the wrong path where he runs away.

I thought Director Giles Atkinson portrayed this very well having “Good Joe” dressed in white for his appearances on stage and “Bad Joe” dressed all in black. In this second character he is persuaded by one of his former school colleague Reecey to enter the world of criminality and the path that leads to personal torment.

Sean Rushton was excellent in the role of Joe who is on stage for virtually the whole of the performance. His singing and acting were both exceptionally good as was his co-star Shelley Lofthouse in the role of Sarah. These two were ably supported by Kylan Granger as Emmo, Oliver Burnett as Lewis, Charlotte Foss as Billie, Jess Langton as Angie, Alison Smith as Kath Casey, Joe’s mother, and Darren Smith as his Dad. Tobias Garbutt played a mean Reecey, and Billy Briar Sharps was the property developer Mr Pressman.

Most of the Madness numbers are featured in this musical – the title number Our House, My Girl, Baggy Trousers, Embarrassment, Driving in my Car, Night Boat to Cairo, House of Fun and It Must Be Love. Many of these are chorus numbers and as well as the principals named above, these featured Luke Armitage, Sarah Kay, Matthew Leakey, Janet Magson, Ceri Owen and Chloe Thompson.

Musical Director Cathy Sweet as usual had total control of her 7-piece band, and the superb choreography had been put in place by Kara Mottram and Kim Grillo. The show runs until Saturday and for any fans of Madness or music of the 80s, I would encourage you to get along to Guiseley Theatre this week to see this high-energy show.