The Drifters Girl, the 2021 musical, is now on its UK tour and has swung by the New Theatre this week. It is framed around Faye Treadwell, who managed The Drifters alongside her husband George (Miles Anthony Daley), telling her teenage daughter (Jaydah Bell-Ricketts) the story of her career. This opens with, and eventually loops back around to Faye embattled in a legal case to defend her exclusive rights to The Drifters name.

Much like Simon Cowell ventriloquising his musical vision into existence via the five photogenic boys of One Direction, The Drifters was inarguably the brainchild of Faye Treadwell. Treadwell was a groundbreaking Black businesswoman who saw The Drifters through dozens of line-up changes. Since forming, the group has featured a whopping 60 different vocalists. To some, this may feel like a ship of Theseus: after so many swaps, is it still the same group? Yes, says Treadwell, who at multiple points likens her Drifters to the New York Yankees: players will come and go, but the brand remains legendary.

There are some striking stylistic choices underpinning this production. I was impressed by the evocative yet minimalist set design, which used some textured expanding set walls, artful projection and a handful of props to elegantly conjure its scenes. The costumes were also sublime.

That said, the very small cast (6 actors in total) did not quite work for me. It felt impressive in the way an am-dram company stretching itself to put on an ambitious, many-peopled show is impressive: more of a technical achievement than an artistic choice.

While it made sense to have four actors play the various Drifters over time, other key male parts, including sexist music executive (and Faye’s rival) Lover Paterson and, of course, George Treadwell, would have been better served by having a dedicated performer. Some of the characters end up as slightly caricatured in order to differentiate the many roles. That said, each of the actors had at least one role they infused with moving depth, with a particular shout out going to Ashford Campbell’s Ben E King and Rudy Lewis.

The role of Faye’s daughter as well, can feel like quite a clunky framing device, and in an odd contrast with the many multi-tasking men of the production, she has no songs and little to do but watch as the production unfolds. Even the character is simply called ‘Girl’. Bell-Rickets plays the role competently, but it’s a bit of a thankless part.

While Faye is our anchor to the story, her exposition - particularly her and George’s love story - feels quite rushed, and throughout the scenes can feel like fleeting vignettes designed to give us a steady summary of information in between songs. Carly Mercedes Dyer gives her all in infusing Faye with energy, passion and wit, but it’s hard to be invested. It’s only when she and The Drifters sing that the show truly comes alive.

But then, oh - does it come alive.

From Dyer’s electrifying “Nobody But Me” to favourites like ‘Down by the Boardwalk’ and ‘Save the Last Dance for Me’ the music dazzles again and again. Ironically, as much as the show pushes to be about Faye’s life, it finds its strength as a sort of mighty tribute act in play’s clothing.

The songs and the vibrant, well-choreographed performances accompanying them were enough to leave me feeling refreshed and buoyed by the time I left the theatre, and are, I would say, worth the price of admission.