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Observer - Dave Gelly
Deptford is not the first place that springs to mind when you're making a list of rock breeding grounds. But this district of south-east London is the homeland of two of the finest British rock bands of recent years, Squeeze and Dire Straits, along with several dozen others. It also has that authentic inner-city atmosphere - multi-racial, fast-talking, street-wise - and, even more important, a cultural centre which suits its spirit.
This is the Albany Empire, a cosy little auditorium. With its bars and tables and predominantly local clientele, it is one of the best places in the country to enjoy popular music.
It is impossible to separate appreciation of the venue from appreciation of what takes place in it, so I was biased in favour of the Albany's new musical, Labelled with Love, before the lights went down. But it was so much fun that I think I'd have liked it anywhere.
Based on songs from the Squeeze album East Side Story, the play is a kind of local opera set in a Deptford pub. The plot unfolds in the manner of a barroom conversation, with many non-sequiturs and abrupt changes of subject. The featured singers, who call themselves the Long Honeymoon, spend all their time quarrelling; an ex-GI bride waxes maudlin about her wartime heyday; the barman frets about the brewers' intention to turn the place into a disco.
The rambling tale depends on strong characters to hold it together, and the cast of six manage it beautifully. They include a black punk called Tarquin (Eamon Walker), a teddy-boy landlord (Colen Marsh) and Monica the singer (the impressive Alison Limerick), bursting with frustration, resentment and injured pride. The songs and dance-numbers fit into all this in a pretty rough-and-ready way, more like "turns" than dramatic high spots, but sheer energy keeps the thing going nicely.
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