ROADKILL: The Uber-Cool Musical

Terry Taylor has been an Uber driver for years and sure has a story or two to tell about life on the road. Luckily for us, he’s prepared to share as he ushers our audience of eight into his party van, parked outside Hannah Playhouse and fully kitted out with lights, cameras, and more action than we bargained for.

In the world premiere of Tom Knowles’ one-man show ROADKILL: The Uber-Cool Musical, Terry (Knowles) talks and sings us through his childhood dreams and major milestones, including marrying Mary (Knowles) and meeting her father (Knowles) during a serendipitous ride that changes the racecourse of his life forever.

A velvet-voiced Knowles, decked out with an earpiece mic in uber-driver-meets-tour-guide garb, revs up with a medley of popular vehicular-themed bangers (Shut Up and Drive, Highway to Hell, Ridin’, et al). Interspersing direct address and audience banter, he sings along to pre-recorded, full-throttle backing tracks (performed by Knowles and his band of Jed Parsons and Josh Logan) with a 30-strong choir (Knowles x30) behind him. The soundtrack largely comprises rockin’ originals (all by, you guessed it) accompanied by hilariously kitsch and melodramatic music videos (starring the one and only Knowles). What a mammoth effort from this one-man van!

The fitout inside said van is impressive and spans ceiling-mounted screens, speakers, and even a reverse camera that generates real-time footage so that the front-seat passenger can watch the back-seat action unfold. A fellow passenger is handed a remote to control the LED party lights and told she could well be up for a Fringe award for best lighting design (I’m voting for you, Olivia). With audience interaction a highlight of the musical, more of us are recruited for various tasks, from holding fans to pressing space bars and even singing “I do”. Did I mention the carpool karaoke? We all have a ball thanks to Knowles’ natural, easy grace that puts us at ease. A showman through and through.

I’d love to see the story more fleshed out, particularly around the shock twist (I suspect another three songs here would work a charm). But take that with a grain of wheat: ultimately, this is an innovative, funny, and highly original production. Buckle up for a rally of a riot!