Flex Appeal

Let me introduce you to Zane, Peter, Lotan, Luke and Rowan.

I know, it’s hard to drag your eyes away, but all you lucky ticket-holders will be able to enjoy their talents in full, and I mean full, when they hit the New Theatre on May 1.

Of course the full Dreamboys troupe is 10 strong, but these were the famous five sent to the Newsquest offices to tell me all about their new show. Which caused quite a stir because there’s nothing subtle about The Dreamboys, from their six packs to their bulging biceps, bronzed skin and white grins, they are raring to go, and Oxford is next on the hit list.

And yet sit them down, get past the bravado, and you soon realise that they are as dedicated and professional as any performers, and that an all-singing, dancing and, er, stripping show, takes as much energy as any showman.

Judging by their physiques though they must have to work harder than most. “It’s about fitness and diet, because if I don’t go to the gym I feel sluggish,” Rowan says. “So we are a benchmark for each other.”

“I go to the gym everyday, work out and swim but I didn’t realise how hard it would be,” Pete says, one of the newest additions to the line-up. “But after a few weeks of rehearsals you’re just dying to get on stage and as soon as you’re up there it’s great because you get such a reaction from the girls. It’s amazing how quickly The Dreamboys becomes part of your life.”

Once picked as a Dreamboy, four months of rehearsals, fitness routines, diet and choreography follow before the newcomers are even allowed on stage, regardless of their physical attributes.

“The first thing I look for is attitude,” manager and former Dreamboy David Richards tells me. “You can look like Brad Pitt but if you don’t have a personality then you can forget it. If, on the other hand, you have a great personality, but aren’t in amazing shape, we can do something about that and work with it.”

Surely appearances are everything though? “The Dreamboys is a group and a family and they are going to be living out of each others pockets all year on tour so it’s really important that they all get on. Of course there are going to be tiffs but the important thing is that they are all good friends,” he says firmly.

Judging by the banter and ribbing going on, the boys get on like a house on fire. “We are like brothers,” Pete admits. Even so it must be terrifying performing to a theatre full of screaming women? “You forget your nerves as soon as you walk out on stage because you have to remember your routines, and it’s a massive boost to get that much attention because the women go wild,” he grins.

The fact that there is ‘full frontal nudity’ may be the main reason The Dreamboys sell tickets, but filling a two-hour show is still no mean feat. “We spend hours and hours in rehearsals,” Zane tells me, “and learn a new routine every week, but I have a strong dance background which helps.”

They are also all really proud of what they do. “My parents put me up for this,” Luke admits. “They told me about the auditions and are coming to see me when we get to Birmingham.”

And with a permanent West End show every Saturday night, their popularity shows no sign of waning, so what’s the secret? “We are trying to get away from that dated 80s’ Chippendale, big, greasy, long-haired stereotype. So things like g-strings are a no-no,” manager David tells me.

“And we want to make every girl there feel like a princess and feel part of the show because its very interactive,” Zane promises. “The audience really enjoys it. It’s an experience. But not everyone can do it, there’s only a few of us,” Rowan adds.

So the stripping doesn’t worry them at all? “If you worried about that you wouldn’t be here and we spend so much time in the gym what’s the point if it’s not for the show?” Pete asks.

For the groupies? “Uh uh,” they all say in unison, shaking their heads. “We meet the girls afterwards and have our pics taken with them but anything more is an absolute no-no.”

In other words, you can look but don’t touch. Pete smiles: “Put it this way, we come, tear the place up and leave the audience wanting more. When else do women get to go wild and let their hair down in front of naked men?”

The Dreamboys land in Oxford for one night only on Wednesday, May 1. Tickets are £23.50. Call the box office on atgtickets.com/oxford or 0844 871 3020.