The Sound of Bugles

Opening next week at Chapel off Chapel, the “Bugle Boys” take time out from rehearsals to talk to Coral Drouyn.

Long before Bette Midler rose to fame and fortune with the aid of “The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy from Company B” in 1972, the originators of the song, three Greek/Norwegian siblings who sang close harmony – The Andrews Sisters – made the song the most popular hit of World War II. Their close harmonies were seamless and Patty, Laverne and Maxene became superstars, and stayed at the top for almost a decade before a messy breakup. There was no spectacular showmanship, no bling, and the three were not raving beauties… but those harmonies were spectacular, and the three could lay claim to being the first girl supergroup (Supremes…eat your heart out.)

Now…hot on their heels, only 74 years later… “Bugle Boys” is set to take us back to an era when talent was everything…you don’t have to be over 70 to love the music of the 40s…the “boys” themselves told me that they are barely over 21 (Celsius, that is).

If you think this is just another “Drag” show…you couldn’t be more wrong. There’s no miming, no lip-synching and NO OTT campery (but I bet they say that to all the punters). All three performers have great voices, for which they are noted, and the show is a tribute to one of the greatest star acts of the 1940s.

“We’re aiming for something classy,” Michael Dalton, who plays blonde Patty, tells me. “Yes of course we’ll be in drag because we’re playing three real women, but this is a tribute to The Andrews Sisters, and we hope that the audience will cover a wide demographic.”

Jon Jackson plays Maxene, but his musical credentials far surpass his alter ego. He’s a noted counter-tenor and has performed in opera as well as cabaret.

“The singing has to be exemplary,” he says. “These were artists who were known for their wonderful harmonies, so we can’t just wing it and hope for the best…every note, every nuance, is being rehearsed to the Nth degree. The vocal arrangements are difficult and we’re working long hours every day. We hope that people will be amazed at the singing, it’s really important to us.”

“Of course, in between there will be patter, and probably some ad libbing,” Dalton explains. “After all, we are all seasoned cabaret performers and it’s the first time we’ve all appeared together…we’re bound to want to test our boundaries.”

Dalton has just tested his in a straight play which brought him great critical acclaim. Surprisingly, although Andrew Dessmann (Laverne) and Michael Dalton have “drag” alter egos, this is the first time Jon Jackson has “frocked up” for a show. “It’s just never been part of my repertoire. I had no idea how to do my makeup or hair, thank heavens Andrew took over and does a full makeover job on me,” Jon explains. Andrew concurs, “Michael has Dolly Diamond, and always looks like a ladylike million bucks, and I have my own Drag characters…..but Jon was just hopeless. Left to him, Maxene’s lippy would have been coming out of her nose.”

Andrew himself has a huge following on the Melbourne comedy scene, so all three artists have their own band of fans.

Bugle Boys are looking forward to the show kicking off in Melbourne and then perhaps touring both nationally and internationally. The brain child of writer/director John Livings, there is certainly scope for a feel good show with humour and classy music, particularly now, when there’s so much going wrong in the world.

Michael sums it up. “It’s true that the music is firmly rooted (in the nicest possible way) in The War Years, and that was a terrible time for the world. But there’s a great sense of joy and hope in that swing era of music and that’s why we need it now.” Andrew adds, “Those people who say Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be need to come and see the show.”

All three auditioned for the show, just as they would for any other production. “It’s new to all of us,” says Michael, “and we’re very conscious that this is John’s baby, not ours.”

So, I ask, who will be the greatest Diva of the three? Each of them answers with tongue firmly in cheek.

Jon says, “Oh it would have to be Andrew – I’d be lost without him and he knows it. I’ll need to be very careful not to upset him.”

Andrew thinks it will be Michael.

“Michael is Patty and Patty is the undisputed leader of the group. He’s also got most of the really good lines, though we can’t imagine how that could have happened…. unless his friend Dolly pressured the writer.”

Michael believes it will be Jon. “He’s never unleashed that inner woman on stage before, and once he gets a taste of Maxene there’ll be no stopping him. Of course he’s also got serious and legitimate vocal skills which the audience will be in awe of.”

This promises to be a night of pure entertainment – with just a few Shocks from Cocks in Frocks!