Over the decades, more than two dozen musicians have been part of musical group The Temptations, but it’s the autobiography of the last surviving member of the original band, Otis Williams, that has served as the source material for the Broadway musical Ain’t Too Proud, which has now transferred to London’s Prince Edward Theatre.
Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations, to give the musical its full title, is written by Dominique Morisseau, though it’s worth bearing in mind that Otis Williams has had the final say on almost every aspect of the show, so don’t expect to hear many differing viewpoints; the story of the group is very much in the hands of our narrator.
If you like the music of The Temptations, you’re going to love Ain’t Too Proud, hit after hit are performed by the talented cast, from ‘My Girl’ to ‘Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone’. Thanks to the songs somewhat generic lyrics, something Otis (Sifiso Mazibuko) jokes about, they all fit in neatly around the story, without ever feeling forced.
As you would expect, the musical charts the creation of the group, beginning in Detroit where Otis is released from juvenile detention and meets Al Bryant (Michael James Stewart), Melvin Franklin (Cameron Bernard Jones), Eddie Kendricks (Mitchell Zhangazha), and finally Paul Williams (Kyle Cox). ‘The Elgins’ are formed, the band not becoming ‘The Temptations’ until they signed with Motown. In the first of many changes to the band’s makeup, Al leaves to be replaced by David Ruffin (Tosh Wanogho-Maud) and now Ain’t Too Proud shows us the band we all recognise.
But there is a (literal) conveyer belt of changes, so it’s not always easy to keep up with who’s in the band and who isn’t at any given time. The story itself doesn’t have an awful lot to it; if you don’t know much about The Temptations when you arrive, you’ll only know slightly more when you leave. With Otis as the narrator, every line starts to sound more like an inspirational quote than actual dialogue, but it all helps move us on to the next song.
There are similarities with Jersey Boys, perhaps unsurprising as Ain’t Too Proud has the same director, Des McAnuff. Though it does lack the same feel-good factor. It’s a missed opportunity when the finale is deeply reflective, rather than a celebration that would encourage the audience to their feet to join in. Robert Brill’s scenic design feels like a dark and gritty Detroit, with Peter Nigrini’s projection design adding some visual interest.
Sometimes The Temptations are joined by The Supremes, and this brightens everything up, and gives us even more Motown magic to enjoy. The cast are out of this world, Tosh Wanogho-Maud as David Ruffin particularly delivers exceptional vocals, while Mitchell Zhangazha’s silky smooth voice contrasts perfectly with Cameron Bernard Jones’ deep bass.
The harmonies are ear-meltingly good, but so are the solos, especially from Kyle Cox as Paul Williams, and the brief appearances from Ryan Carter as Smokey Robinson and Damon Harris are a real treat too.
Ain’t Too Proud might not have all the ingredients that musicals like Motown and Jersey Boys do, but it does showcase the music fantastically well. If you want to know more about the life and times of The Temptations, you might need to fill in the gaps for yourself but otherwise, just sit back and enjoy the gorgeous sounds of these Motown classics.
