Five Guys Named Moe

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Five Guys Named Moe: A West End Jazz Celebration

"Five Guys Named Moe" premiered in London’s West End at the Lyric Theatre on December 14, 1990, igniting a musical revue that ran for over four years until March 4, 1995, totaling 1,652 performances across its Lyric and Albery Theatre stints. With a book by Clarke Peters and music and lyrics by Louis Jordan and others, the show, produced by Cameron Mackintosh, follows Nomax, a heartbroken, broke everyman lifted from despair by five Moes Big Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Eat Moe, No Moe, and Little Moe who burst from his 1930s radio with Jordan’s toe-tapping hits. Revived in 2017 at the bespoke Marble Arch Theatre from August 29 to March 24, 2018, under Peters’ direction, this Olivier Award-winning production blends jazz, blues, and soul, delivering a high-energy tribute to Jordan’s pioneering sound that captivated audiences with its infectious spirit.

Origins and Creative Swing

The musical’s roots trace to Louis Jordan’s 1943 short film of the same name, reimagined by Clarke Peters into a full revue. Debuting at the Cottesloe Theatre in 1989 and refined at Theatre Royal Stratford East in 1990, it caught Mackintosh’s eye after a six-week fringe run. Peters, inspired by Jordan’s jump blues a genre bridging jazz and early rock ‘n’ roll wove a simple tale of Nomax’s woes into a showcase for classics like "Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby" and "Choo Choo Ch’Boogie." Charles Augins’ original choreography and a lean six-actor format shaped its West End launch, where Peters swapped his Nomax role for Clinton Derricks-Carroll, setting a precedent for its joyous, participatory vibe that defined its four-year reign.

The West End Runs

The Lyric Theatre debut featured Kenny Andrews, Paul J. Medford, Peter Alex Newton, Omar F. Okai, and Dig Wayne as the Moes, with Derricks-Carroll as Nomax, running until 1995 before shifting to the Albery Theatre (now Noël Coward) from May 25, 1995, to January 13, 1996, with Tee Jaye Jenkins, Trent Kendall, and Monroe Kent III leading. The 2017 Marble Arch revival, a pop-up venue evoking 1940s New Orleans, starred Edward Baruwa as Nomax and Ian Carlyle, Dex Lee, Idriss Kargbo, Timothy Martin, and Emile Ruddock as the Moes, closing after 236 performances. Winning the 1991 Olivier for Best Entertainment, its West End stints over 1,888 shows drew fans with affordable gallery seats and a party-like atmosphere, cementing its status as a crowd-pleaser.

Musical and Theatrical Groove

Jordan’s score, enriched by Peters’ curation, swings with "Saturday Night Fish Fry," "Early in the Morning," and "Let the Good Times Roll," blending bluesy riffs and gospel soul. The 1995 Albery cast recording captures Jenkins’ slick Moes, while 2017’s Marble Arch staging, with Andrew Wright’s choreography inspired by Augins, turned the circular space into a jazz club frenzy. "Push Ka Pi Shi Pie" and "Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens" spark Nomax’s redemption, backed by a live band that fueled audience singalongs. Takis’ set design and Philip Gladwell’s lighting in 2017 amplified the immersive vibe, earning four-star nods from The Times for its “zinging” energy and slick dance moves.

Revivals and Global Jive

Post-1996, "Five Guys" toured the UK and Europe under Fiz Shapur’s musical direction, hit Broadway in 1992 for 445 performances, and saw a 2010 Edinburgh Festival revival with Peters as Nomax. The 2017 Marble Arch run followed a 2016 Edinburgh Fringe stint, while a 2021 Upstairs at The Gatehouse production, directed by Mykal Rand, featured Juan Jackson and a fresh Moe quintet. US stagings like Arena Stage’s 2014 modernized take and a 1995 DVD release kept its rhythm alive. Though not a frequent West End returnee, its global footprint spans Japan, Australia, and fringe revivals, with the Marble Arch’s jazz-bar intimacy a highlight of its later London life.

Legacy and Cultural Beat

"Five Guys Named Moe" left a lasting mark on the West End, its 1990-1995 run outpacing peers with over 1.5 million attendees, fueled by Jordan’s crossover legacy and Peters’ vision. The 2017 revival added 250,000 more, its Olivier win and Tony nods underscoring its acclaim. Outshining plot-heavy musicals with sheer exuberance, it influenced jukebox shows like "Mamma Mia!" while spotlighting Black talent Windsor and Derricks-Carroll among its stars. The Telegraph hailed its “sass and soul,” a vibe echoing Jordan’s 1940s chart dominance. As of March 2025, its sporadic revivals and recordings keep the Moes’ party swinging, a West End testament to jazz’s enduring, uplifting pulse.