WHATEVER happened to Bobby and Laura from Dreamboats And Petticoats?

Good news: their story continues in Dreamboats And Miniskirts, the retro sequel that will be on tour at the Grand Opera House, York, from Monday to Saturday, with Alex Beaumont as Bobby and Elizabeth Carter as Laura.

The setting for a showcase of 1960s' hits is 1963, when the Petticoats gang are growing up and facing new challenges. Bobby and Laura’s first single, Dreamboats And Petticoats, went to the top of the charts but they have failed to repeat that success with any further records. Norman and Sue have settled down to non-marital bliss and a baby, while Ray and Donna seem blissfully happy in their professional lives, but are they really?

The advent of The Beatles and the Merseyside sound is inspiring the nation, so will it inspire Bobby and Laura to have one more shot at stardom, Norman to “get off the drains” and find his hit parade voice and Ray to realise his ambition to manage a top pop act?

York Press:

A scene from Dreamboats And Miniskirts. Picture: Darren Bell

All will be revealed in this follow-up with the same wit and charm that writers Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran brought to Dreamboats And Petticoats, as well as the likes of Goodnight Sweetheart, Birds Of A Feather, The New Statesman, Shine On Harvey Moon and Save The Last Dance For Me.

The role of Bobby is new to Alex Beaumont. "I got word of the audition from my agent, had the audition the next day in front of Bill Kenwright, the co-producer, and he told me there and then that I'd got the part," he recalls. "I hadn't seen Dreamboats And Petticoats and I think they wanted a fresh face in the role, which I'm sure was an advantage for me when I was auditioning."

Now that he is familiar with Bobby, how would Alex describe his character? "Bill Kenwright said to me, even before we did the read-through, that Bobby just wants to be liked, to be kind-hearted all the time. He's a typical boy who wants to please everyone, be friends with everyone, but you can't do that or it'll get you into trouble, but always with the best of intentions," he says.

"Apart from Bobby, you see quite a transformation in the characters; they all mature, unlike him. Norman and Sue are settling down to married life; Ray and Donna are sorting out their lives."

Dreamboats And Miniskirts continues the Marks and Gran formula for a joyous musical show. "It's all about the music because it's music that has stood the test of time," says Alex, who will sing the likes of Roy Orbison's Oh, Pretty Woman and It's Over. "The writers weave their story around these classic songs and they have a lot of fun with the storyline and the characters. They dipped in and out of rehearsals, giving us tips and advice, and they came to the opening night as well, in Windsor, last August."

Alex will finish his run in Dreamboats And Miniskirts on October 31 and his next role, as chance would have it, will find him returning to the Windsor Theatre Royal. "That's great as it's my home town," he says. "Bill Kenwright owns the theatre, so he's got me on board for the pantomime. I'll have three weeks off, which I really need, then I'll start rehearsals for playing Dandini in Cinderella on November 23."

Dreamboats And Miniskirts, Grand Opera House, York, Monday to Saturday, 7.30pm plus 2.30pm Wednesday and Saturday matinees. Box office: 0844 871 3024 or at atgtickets.com/york