Think ‘La Dolce Vita’, Sophia Loren, torpedo bras and ‘wiggle’ skirts, Frank Sinatra, skinny suits and ties plus a touch of Italian jazz and of course the Vespa!
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Too Darn Hot came about having watched the black and white movie classic La Dolce Vita, and me falling in love with the iconic Italian setting, and my fascination with the female fashion items of the period the 'torpedo' bra and the 'wiggle' skirt! So, I started doing some research - and swing was very popular and Robbie Williams amongst others had released some very successful albums, so much like Red Hot & Black I wanted to weave in modern pop which might easily fit within that period.
I think I achieved my aim when an audience member asked me about one song in the show which they thought they recognised from when they were younger but couldn't place it was "The Promise by Girls Aloud".
When I was talking to a friend about this show as a concept, they challenged me to try and add a storyline purely through song. How could I not pick up the gauntlet?
I invited the audience to follow the journey of naive Anna who on hearing about a film premiere happening in her city (Music to Watch Girls by, by Andy Williams), was determined to meet the director and become a star (Paparazzi by Lady Gaga). Along the way, she meets an array of people and experiences love, betrayal, desire and mystery (Vanity Kills, by The Codeine Velvet Club).
Other songs included: That's Life (Michael Buble version), Mr Bojangles, and numerous songs from the musicals, "Arthur in the Afternoon" from And the World Goes Around, Man Wanted from Copacabana and Mama I'm a big now from Hairspray - amongst many others.
With regards to the songs in the show I was keen to include "mash-ups" much like that popular TV Musical show Glee - in Too Darn Hot, successful collaborations included: Perhaps, Perhaps Perhaps into Sway (both by Doris Day), Dancing Dan into Me & My Shadow (both from the musical Fosse, and Well Did you Evah into The Rich Man's Frug)!
The set once again was static much like Red, Hot and Black but this time the surprise was the fact that the stairs would light up when people stepped on them - which was used to great effect in "If You Could See Me Now" from Sweet Charity.
All Photography by Nick Chronnell