Following runs in London and Edinburgh, The Quentin Dentin Show takes on a new life in this original cast recording.
Energetic and quirky are just two words to describe the music from a show which has proved popular with both London and Edinburgh audiences. But this cast recording shows how by taking the songs out of its original context the listener is left with very little understanding about the show itself and its general plot in contrast with other musical theatre soundtracks.
With track titles including ‘Friendzone’, ‘Lemons’ and ‘People Like You’ it is difficult to understand how they fit into the show itself – particularly if you have never seen the musical in person and is a huge disadvantage if the intention is to introduce new audiences to the show.
It is a shame because Henry Carpenter’s music and lyrics at times has great potential – particularly when you listen to songs such as ‘Blame Game’ or ‘All Together Now’ which are genuinely fun and catchy – but the album overall isn’t consistent enough to keep the listener thoroughly engaged.
On the plus side, the recording itself (produced by Paul Garred, co-founder and original drummer of The Kooks) is clear and crisp, the balance between the vocals and music perfect for the listener to get a full sense of what is being sung. In terms of the music and lyrics, The Quentin Dentin Show original cast recording is at its strongest when it delivers a strong message as heard on songs including ‘Lemons’ and ‘Life’.
But the album’s main focus seems to be as quirky as possible, which is fine to an extent but can put it in danger of trying too hard to stand out particularly towards the middle of the album.
Despite this, you can really feel the cast’s energy and enthusiasm for their characters shining through that can allow for some entertaining moments that reveal a glimmer of potential.
Overall, if you have not experienced the show live then this album could potentially prove problematic to listen to as it feels as though you need to hear the songs in the context of the show to really appreciate them. It just feels too all over the place to be thoroughly enjoyable.
By Emma Clarendon
The original cast recording of The Quentin Dentin Show is available to pre-order on iTunes now. It will be available to buy from the 14th September.
Rating: ⭐⭐