The Carpenters are set to grace the stage at The Roxy on Saturday October 16. No, not Richard and Karen, but Darren and Sharon Carpenter from Kempsey.
Celebrating 40 years of Carpenters hits and memories, The Carpenters from Kempsey uncannily recreate the sound of The Carpenters singing all the songs the other Carpenters made famous – Yesterday Once More, Rainy Days and Mondays, Calling Occupants, Top of The World, Superstar, Goodbye To Love, There’s a Kind Of Hush, We’ve Only Just Begun and many more.
Darren and Sharon Carpenter are twins, born six months apart. Born and raised in Kempsey, they never really fitted in to life on the farm and were hopeless at just about everything.
One magical day, their lives were transformed when they discovered those “Other Carpenters.” Not only did they look similar, but they shared a family name.
Darren and Sharon are played by Darren Mapes and Saskia Smith.
If Richie Benaud and Patsy Bisco want to know where their hair is, their follicles are starring every night in this superbly silly show. Darren Mapes has the perfect Richie rug, and Saskia Smith the ideal Patsy locks and matching fringe.
“For diehard Carpenters’ fans, we perform the songs as Karen and Richard, as similar to their sound as possible, and have spent a lot of time perfecting it and getting the arrangements just right” Darren says.
Darren recalls “It was over ten years ago that I did a retrospective show about Karen and Richard’s lives, which is actually a really sad story. Even though people enjoyed the show, it just didn’t feel right to me.”
“It was for this reason that Darren and Sharon were created; they allow the show to go off on various tangents. There’s lots of fun quips and stories about different family members.”
Darren is quick to point out “We’re not actually taking the Mickey out of country people.
“I grew up on a farm in Warwick and had a country upbringing. A lot of stories that make up the lives of Darren and Sharon Carpenter are based on real experiences.
“As part of the show we do a few parodies and a couple of non-Carpenters songs, but they are all in true Carpenters style, like our Cold Chisel medley. People love the show and sing along and we encourage that” Darren says.
The Carpenters from Kempsey have been wowing audiences across Australia. One critic noted “Darren and Sharon say they’re from Kempsey, but their voices are from heaven.”
This is the only live show to be presented by The Roxy this year due to the restoration of the Roxy Café.
Tickets will be in demand. Cabaret tables and theatre seats are available. Bookings: Bingara Tourist Information Office telephone: 67 24 0066.
And don’t be afraid to drag out the denim clogs, scoop shorts and bad hair. Thanks to the Carpenters, it’s yesterday once more.
