A Groovy Night in ‘Nam- The Second Tour. Conceived by Mel Tickle. Directed by Rose Aust Review by That Guy In The Foyer, John Doherty ★★★1/2 Produced by Rose Aust & Plympton Glenelg RSL RSL Hall, Plympton Glenelg RSL 464 Marion Road, Plympton Park, Kaurna Country Fri 17 Feb- Sat 18 Feb: 7:30pm Sun 19 Feb 3:00 pm Fri 24 Feb- Sat 25 Feb 7:30 pm Sun 26 Feb 3:00pm Mel Tickles initial concept for A Groovy Night in ‘Nam in 2022 was that it be an acknowledgement of the fifty-year anniversary of Australian troops’ return from the Vietnam War, a conflict that was as challenging as it was controversial. Tickle researched the Vietnam War which lasted from 1955 until the fall of Saigon in 1975. Australia’s decade long involvement commenced in 1962. And what a period those decades were for great music! Tickle found the RSL happy to work with him toward bringing the show to stage. As it turned out, Veterans at the Plympton Glenelg Branch, Bill Hignett OAM and “Tich” Tyson, had worked on some of the actual concerts in Vietnam including those featuring Joan McInnes and the legendary Johnny Mac! The ’22 “tour” was a success and “The Second Tour” is great fun! I attended, along with an invited audience, the final rehearsal of the show prior to its opening tomorrow. The concept of the show seems simple enough- Singers and band perform the great songs of the era as they were performed to the troops at the morale lifting concerts of the day. However, after speaking with this RSL Branch President, Bill Hignett, who was conscripted after his first year in the field as a teacher, the show is more than that. There is an educative element to the show cleverly woven through the script which was developed by Director, the indefatigable theatre stalwart Rosie Aust and Tickle. This is reflected in the script followed by MC Paul “Bocky” Bock, himself a Veteran, who drops factual notes about the Aussie troops’ experience in ‘Nam throughout the show. Bocky also chats with the singers and revs up the “troops”- us- with various orders and harangues. The script is good and certainly keeps the audience engaged, but I, as a person fascinated by how one zeitgeist impacts or influences those that follow, wanted more. This would need to be carefully written as it would doubtless affect the fast pace of the show. The Groove Brothers and Soul Sister, Mel Tickle, Lewis Murray and Belinda Millikan, backed by a tight four-piece band, The Backline, do a great job with the vocals. A little slow to warm to the idea that they are playing performers playing to troops, the trio opened with “Get Ready” by the Temptations. Having warmed up, Murray livened things up with Shakin’ All Over made a hit by Normie Rowe. From this point, the entire performance lifted with great renditions of songs from the Vietnam War era. Millikan’s interpretations of “Natural Woman” and Leaving on a Jet Plane” were sublime and Tickle’s rendition of “What a Wonderful World” brought tears to the eyes. Chris Hart (Drums) Bill Cornish (Bass),, Peter Farley (Lead guitar) and Rory McKinnon (Keyboard) provided solid backing for all the songs with only a minor trip here and there. Farley’s animation as he coaxed and demanded great era authentic tones from his red Stratocaster was a great element of an already lively show! This is the second show I’ve seen in a week that pays homage to that tumultuous time in relatively recent history and it’s great to see! If your looking for a Groovy Night in Nam, Go, see it!