GO YOUR OWN WAY: THE STORY OF CHRISTINE MCVIE
GO YOUR OWN WAY: THE STORY OF CHRISTINE MCVIE, Glen Street Theatre, 27 May – 1 June, Noosa Long Weekend Festival, July 25, Ballarat Cabaret Festival, October 9, Karralyka Centre, Ringwood, Victoria, October 25, 2014. Above and right: Catherine Alcorn as Christine McVie.
Catherine Alcorn’s Go Your Own Way: The Story of Christine McVie started out life at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival last year.
Back then, Fleetwood Mac’s “other woman” was still living quietly in Kent with her much-loved dogs and seemingly no interest in joining the rest of Fleetwood Mac for a much-anticipated reunion tour.
“Sorry folks. No tour” she tweeted to her followers when asked. And that was that, we thought.
Except it wasn’t. In January this year, it was announced McVie would be joining the rest of the band for their On With The Show tour starting in September. Which is not only great news for Fleetwood Mac fans, but also means that Alcorn’s much-acclaimed show now has an unexpectedly happy ending.
Of course, writer Diana Simmonds* didn’t know that when she was writing: her narrative begins in the present day with McVie turning the reunion tour down. From there, the narrative takes us back to the beginning: McVie's childhood in the Lake District with her concert violinist father and faith healer mother and to her first meeting with Fleetwood Mac bassist and future husband John McVie.
The tumultuous making of Rumours, when the relationships between Christine and John and Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham were disintegrating, is covered, as their follow-up album Tusk and Christine’s tortured relationship with Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson.
And of course the songs: Little Lies, Don’t Stop, You Make Loving Fun, Songbird and Go Your Own Way (which was written by Buckingham but would be unthinkable to leave out) are all there, and had the audience singing, cheering and clapping along on the night we attended.
In skin-tight pants and mauve fringed shawl, Alcorn alternates between striding around the stage and reclining on a chaise longue to recount McVie’s story in wry tones and with plenty of deadpan humour.
Musically, her voice is sensational: rich and full-bodied, and she brings real depth and emotion to the arrangements by Isaac Hayward. The band under musical director Michael Tyack – Greg Bell on guitar, Jamie Castrisos on drums and Kirby Burgess on backing vocals – give lively but unobtrusive support.
It’s a lot of fun – even for those who aren't fans of the band - and a terrific showcase for the prodigious talents of Catherine Alcorn. While it’s only at Glen Street until tomorrow before heading off interstate, given the enthusiasm with which it was received, don’t be surprised if you see it popping up elsewhere.
*DISCLAIMER: Diana is the creator and writer of Stage Noise.