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Tag: Four Star Musical

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Milton Keynes

    ★★★★☆ | Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Milton Keynes

    **This review was taken from the Sheffield date**

    During the 1960’s Carole King was part of one of the most successful songwriting partnerships of the era, writing hits for The Shirelles, The Drifters and Little Eva; leading to success with songs including “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”, “The Loco-Motion”, “(You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman”, “You’ve Got A Friend” and “I Feel The Earth Move”.  But behind the success was a personal struggle for King in trying to make her marriage with Gerry Goffin, her philandering husband and songwriting partner, work; and it is her rise to the top and her troubled home life which form the backbone of the story for this musical biopic.

    Beautiful really stands apart from the usual jukebox musical/musical biopics, given the quality of the writing, presentation and performances. The narrative absorbs you straightaway; and there is an abundance of instantly likeable characters, a wonderfully sharp script filled with warmth, humour and personality and a lighting design which really does bring the stage to life, making it feel bright, bubbly and brimming with energy.

    But the quality was not reserved only for the look of the piece, but extends to its rather talented cast members. Bronte Barbe was delightfully charismatic as Carole King, projecting a powerful voice without ever having to force a note; and exuding a natural and believable on-stage chemistry with Kane Oliver Parry as King’s husband, Gerry Goffin. Amy Ellen Richardson and Matthew Gonsalves bounced off each other nicely as the bickering Weil and Mann; and the entire cast, including the ensemble, all stepped up the plate in terms of their vocals, alongside some incredibly competent acting, giving rise to very believable performances across the board.

    The first act, detailing King’s success within the music industry, brings with it a barrage of 17 musical numbers which are performed with flair and vigour; whilst the second act is slightly more downbeat and more drama focussed, as the decline of King’s marriage and her growth into a solo artist are depicted.

    Although you may not have heard of Carole King, her music is embedded into popular culture, and with the number of songs that you immediately recognise adorning the stage, you realise just how much of an influential songwriter King really was. Ultimately, this is a story of love, hope and determination, and a production which rises above the usual jukebox musicals with a set of strong central performances, in particularly Bronte, and a polished, professional and quality feel.

    Beautiful is at the Milton Keynes Theatre, Milton Keynes until 24th February 2018

    The show then continues on its national tour until 23 June 2018. Click here to book tickets.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Glasgow

    ★★★★☆ | Beautiful: The Carole King Musical

    **This review was taken from the Sheffield date**

    During the 1960’s Carole King was part of one of the most successful songwriting partnerships of the era, writing hits for The Shirelles, The Drifters and Little Eva; leading to success with songs including “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”, “The Loco-Motion”, “(You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman”, “You’ve Got A Friend” and “I Feel The Earth Move”.  But behind the success was a personal struggle for King in trying to make her marriage with Gerry Goffin, her philandering husband and songwriting partner, work; and it is her rise to the top and her troubled home life which form the backbone of the story for this musical biopic.

    Beautiful really stands apart from the usual jukebox musical/musical biopics, given the quality of the writing, presentation and performances. The narrative absorbs you straightaway; and there is an abundance of instantly likeable characters, a wonderfully sharp script filled with warmth, humour and personality and a lighting design which really does bring the stage to life, making it feel bright, bubbly and brimming with energy.

    But the quality was not reserved only for the look of the piece, but extends to its rather talented cast members. Bronte Barbe was delightfully charismatic as Carole King, projecting a powerful voice without ever having to force a note; and exuding a natural and believable on-stage chemistry with Kane Oliver Parry as King’s husband, Gerry Goffin. Amy Ellen Richardson and Matthew Gonsalves bounced off each other nicely as the bickering Weil and Mann; and the entire cast, including the ensemble, all stepped up the plate in terms of their vocals, alongside some incredibly competent acting, giving rise to very believable performances across the board.

    The first act, detailing King’s success within the music industry, brings with it a barrage of 17 musical numbers which are performed with flair and vigour; whilst the second act is slightly more downbeat and more drama focussed, as the decline of King’s marriage and her growth into a solo artist are depicted.

    Although you may not have heard of Carole King, her music is embedded into popular culture, and with the number of songs that you immediately recognise adorning the stage, you realise just how much of an influential songwriter King really was. Ultimately, this is a story of love, hope and determination, and a production which rises above the usual jukebox musicals with a set of strong central performances, in particularly Bronte, and a polished, professional and quality feel.

    Beautiful is at the King’s Theatre, Glasgow until the 17th February 2018

    The show then continues on its national tour until 23 June 2018. Click here to book tickets.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Beautiful: The Carole King Musical – National Tour

    ★★★★☆ | Beautiful: The Carole King Musical


    During the 1960’s Carole King was part of one of the most successful songwriting partnerships of the era, writing hits for The Shirelles, The Drifters and Little Eva; leading to success with songs including “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”, “The Loco-Motion”, “(You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman”, “You’ve Got A Friend” and “I Feel The Earth Move”.  But behind the success was a personal struggle for King in trying to make her marriage with Gerry Goffin, her philandering husband and song writing partner, work; and it is her rise to the top and her troubled home life which form the backbone of the story for this musical biopic.

    Beautiful really stands apart from the usual jukebox musical/musical biopics, given the quality of the writing, presentation and performances. The narrative absorbs you straightaway; and there is an abundance of instantly likeable characters, a wonderfully sharp script filled with warmth, humour and personality and a lighting design which really does bring the stage to life, making it feel bright, bubbly and brimming with energy.

    But the quality was not reserved only for the look of the piece, but extends to its rather talented cast members. Bronte Barbe was delightfully charismatic as Carole King, projecting a powerful voice without ever having to force a note; and exuding a natural and believable on-stage chemistry with Kane Oliver Parry as King’s husband, Gerry Goffin. Amy Ellen Richardson and Matthew Gonsalves bounced off each other nicely as the bickering Weil and Mann; and the entire cast, including the ensemble, all stepped up the plate in terms of their vocals, alongside some incredibly competent acting, giving rise to very believable performances across the board.

    The first act, detailing King’s success within the music industry, brings with it a barrage of 17 musical numbers which are performed with flair and vigour; whilst the second act is slightly more downbeat and more drama focussed, as the decline of King’s marriage and her growth into a solo artist are depicted.

    Although you may not have heard of Carole King, her music is embedded into popular culture, and with the number of songs that you immediately recognise adorning the stage, you realise just how much of an influential songwriter King really was. Ultimately, this is a story of love, hope and determination, and a production which rises above the usual jukebox musicals with a set of strong central performances, in particularly Bronte, and a polished, professional and quality feel.

    Beautiful is at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre until Saturday 10th February 2018. For details and tickets visit www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk.

    The show then continues on its national tour until 23 June 2018. Click here to book tickets.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Hairspray, Sheffield Theatres

    ★★★★☆ | Hairspray – Sheffield Theatres

    Set in Baltimore in 1962, Tracey Turnblad is a big girl with a big heart, big dreams and even bigger hair. Tracey (with her best friend, Penny, in tow) cuts school one afternoon to audition to be a dancer on The Corny Collins Show, her favourite daytime TV programme. Despite the best efforts of Velma Von Tussel, the show’s producer, Tracey is chosen to be the new dancer; but when Tracey learns that her black friends aren’t allowed to dance with the white kids on the show, she sets out to change things once and for all. But can Tracey unite black and white on TV, win the hand of her heartthrob and fellow dancer, Link Larkin, and walk away with the Miss Teenage Hairspray Pageant crown?

    Based on the 1988 John Walters film, this is a colourful and energetic production which ups the camp value and fun factor to create a feel good, crowd-pleasing musical with a strong underlying message about social inequality.

    Matt Rixon pleases as Edna Turnblad, and bounces nicely off Norman Pace as Wilbur; whilst Brenda Edwards (X-Factor) belts out the tunes as Motormouth Maybelle and manages to nail her big number with ease. Rebecca Mendoza makes her professional debut as Tracey Turnblad, and despite some unnecessary gurning and an overly squeaky American accent, gives a competent performance, although one which would have showed her talents far better if her direction was reined in slightly, allowing the role to be played with a straight bat. The remaining cast provided for a spectacular ensemble, filling the stage to the brim in the musical numbers, and bringing with them an infectious enthusiasm.

    Featuring the songs “You Can’t Stop The Beat”, “Good Morning Baltimore”, “Welcome to the 60s” and “I Know Where I’ve Been”, the numbers come thick and fast, and are catchy, upbeat and instantly likeable. The dance routines are full of energy and ensure that there is always plenty to look on the stage, whilst the lighting and costume designs flood the stage with colour, adding to the pop-bubblegum feel of the piece.

    Utterly engaging and utterly enjoyable, Hairspray is a musical treat which is so much fun that you will find it hard resist its charms.

    Hairspray is at the Sheffield Lyceum (www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk) until Saturday 3rd February 2018 before continuing on an extensive national tour until 4th August 2018. To book tickets click here.

     

  • Six things we loved about Oranges and Elephants, Hoxton Hall

    ★★★★☆ | Oranges And Elephants

    An all-female musical has opened in London, Oranges and Elephants

    1) The story. Set in Victorian London and there’s a turf war between two all-female rival groups, the Oranges and the Elephants, led by two fierce women and their battle to reign supreme. Plot: Get two sparring gangs, in a Victorian setting, throw in a newbie (a brilliant Sinead Long (Mary)) to the city, a quick lesbian romp, dressed it all up in drag king goodness conclude with an ending even Shakespeare would be proud of and you’re close to why Orange And Elephants is the most exciting musical to open in London in an age.

    2) The lack of men.  This show simply doesn’t need us menfolk. We’re not missed. At all.  So yeah, f*ck the patriarchy. The cast’s observation of masculinity and, well, frail masculinity at that, is superb. A special mention to Rebecca Bainbridge, whose gangster, Ada (Oranges), is frankly beyond scary and you won’t find a more vicious matriarch than Liz Kitchen’s Annie, leader of the Elephants.

    3) A new musical… At last a new musical that isn’t a jukebox musical. All new music and perfectly suited to the piece. It is ballad heavy but there are a few rousing gems from Jo Collins’ score. The entire cast gets involved with playing the instruments and acting without it feeling forced, and there’s also audience participation, expertly carried through by our narrator. Oh, and BTW, it’s funny. Very funny.

    4) Costumes. Some of the best costumery (Sara Perks) we’ve seen in a long time and while we’re at it, a special mention to the set design. Simple but incredibly effective. You won’t look at an A to Z in the same way again… (for those who just asked, what’s an A to Z, think Google Maps but on paper).

    5) Hoxton Hall. This is a double edge sword for us. On one hand, the music-hall design of the rather stunning venue helps transport you back to the Victorian era – but it has, without a doubt the most uncomfortable seating, so bring a cushion.

    6) A nod to the queer community – as there’s even a little bit of lesbian twist, which sticks two fingers up at the traditional boy meets girls blah blah blah. Bravo!

    A little rough around the edges, but a ruby in the Victorian dust.

    Oranges and Elephants runs at Hoxton Hall until 10 February.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Wizard of Oz – Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

    THEATRE REVIEW | The Wizard of Oz – Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

    ★★★★| This Christmas, Sheffield Theatres whisks you off to the Land of Oz, to join Dorothy, a Kansas farm girl, who follows the yellow brick road to the Emerald City to find the great and powerful Wizard of Oz. On the way, she is joined by the scarecrow, the tin man and a cowardly lion, all of whom have something to ask the Wizard themselves. But the four of them are pursued the Wicked Witch of the West, and Dorothy soon comes to realise that there is no place like home.  

    Photo Credit: Johan Persson

    The Wizard of Oz needs very little introduction, and has been embraced by the gay community for many years – after all, with anything that is the source of the phrase “friend of Dorothy”, you can expect high camp and an iconic gay status.

    The four main leads fill their characters with charm, in particular Max Parker as the Tinman, who brings a great singing voice and some nifty robotic steps to the stage. Andrew Langtree’s scarecrow is wonderfully reminiscent of a rag doll and Jonathan Broadbent’s Lion adds much of the comedic element. Gabrielle Brooks portrays Dorothy with innocence and wide-eyed wonder, although she did sometimes get a little lost amongst her more boisterous on stage travelling companions. But the real testament to her performance was her beautifully sung version of Over the Rainbow, with Brooks nailing the iconic moment with ease. Toto was portrayed by both a scene stealing puppy in Kansas and as a brilliantly performed puppet skilfully (and convincingly) operated by Rhiannon Wallace in Oz, helping to establish that the girl in gingham certainly wasn’t in Kansas anymore.

    The production as a whole is beautifully done, in particular, Janet Bird’s set design is ingenious, and the transformation from Kansas to Oz is an unexpected delight. The stage is illuminated underfoot to form the yellow brick road, and everything from a large multi-purpose ensemble to puppetry to practical effects are used to great effect to bring the Land of Oz to life. Add to that a lighting design which is colourful, vivid and incredibly well thought out and some stunning costumes and you have a production which is a visual treat.

    The majority of issues with the Wizard of Oz are primarily down to the book, rather than this production. The show itself takes a while to hit its stride, but then, so did the film; and once Dorothy starts to meet her travelling companions, the momentum starts to build, yielding to a much better second act. There were times when the show encroached into pantomime territory on occasions and the Wicked Witch was not particularly menacing, although this was more likely due to being toned down for a family audience rather than Catrin Aaron’s performance or ability. For a musical, the show is also relatively light on musical numbers, with only a handful of songs, but director Robert Hastie makes the most of them, especially in the rather jaunty opening to the second act.

    With its high camp value and its snappy presentation, Sheffield Theatre’s production is light, airy and so colourful that rather than being taken over the rainbow, you are placed slap bang in the middle of it.

    The Wizard of Oz plays at Sheffield Theatres until 20th January 2018, alongside their pantomime, Mother Goose playing until 7th January 2018 and their interactive production Rent Party until 23rd December 2017. Visit www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk for details and tickets.

     

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Hundred and One Dalmatians, Birmingham Rep

    ★★★★ | The Hundred and One Dalmatians, Birmingham Rep

    REVIEW | The Hundred and One Dalmatians, Birmingham Rep

    tail-waggingly brilliant.

    The Hundred and One Dalmatians, a childhood favourite, presented by the Birmingham Rep, had fun, laughs and tasty treats of darkness. The puppets, designed by Jimmy Grime, were a show-stealer. The way in which they moved and looked was so real – you had to blink to realise they were not real.

    A very commendable performance for all the artists who held/manoeuvred the animals. The dogs looked bizarrely realistic, with the heads at the right scale of the real species – most realistic was the Afghan Hound. The puppetry/dog handlers were incredibly agile, mixed with exquisite acting and singing really enhanced the narrative. Oliver Wellington (Pongo) was particularly impressive with his dextrous movement and voice. The way he showed the jovial and clumsy nature of Pongo was a good connect to pet owners in the audience, receiving many laughs. Equally, Emma Thornett (Missis) did very well with the emotional scenes with the movement adding superbly to the drama. The astute projection of the dog’s feelings by Emma onto Missis was incredibly captivating. You could hear the emotion in the artist’s voice and felt naturally compassioned while watching the puppet.

    The second duo who really entertained were the Badduns: Jasper (Lewis Griffin) and Saul (Luke Murphy). The two men hired to do the deed with the puppies were hilarious and really lifted the show. The actors’ mastery of comedic timing, audience interaction, and versatility of movement raised the level of brilliance. Lewis, in particular, gave every bit of himself with Jasper, leaving no stone unturned in making the kids and adults laugh.

    Cruella De Vil (Gloria Onitiri) was excellent and as cruel and devilish as I had hoped. I am sure Glenn Close would have really enjoyed her performance too. Her appearance was perfectly fitting to the role; her voice was harrowing and malevolent, creating darkness so subliminally. My favourite moment of the whole show was when Cruella sang ‘Skin It’ and hitting the last note with such deep and menacing tones really was a goosebumpy moment.

    Mr and Mrs Dearly played by Morgan Philpott and Nadi Kemp-Sayfi respectively were great too. Morgan showed good variety with playing the Sheepdog. I think the puppets drowned them out a little though, and sometimes the puppet actors speaking for the dogs, mixed with Mr and Mrs Dearly talking, created a distraction and was not always sure who was talking, or where to look.

    This show has to be watched, and though there were heavy Christmas overtones, it is a classic I would watch all year around.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | La Soiree, Aldwych Theatre, London

    ★★★★ | La Soiree, Aldwych Theatre, London

    La Soiree has garnered quite a reputation on the cabaret scene over the past few years.

    They’ve won a couple of Olivier Awards, headlined the circus field at Glastonbury and globe-trotted around in various Spiegeltents and opera houses. Now they’ve gone all upmarket and are inhabiting the lovely old but freshly repainted Aldwych Theatre. Don’t worry though. They might be in the West End but there’s still plenty of filth and subversion to keep you dirty birdies happy. Or not. If you want to take your nan and your nephew there’s a toned down version sans smut called ‘La Petite Soiree’ (aimed at ages 8 and upwards).

    They’ve re-jigged the theatre to make it look like a cabaret venue with on stage seating and rows of in the round stalls seats. You’ve got to have nerves of steel if you’re planning on sitting on stage, by the way. There’s a distinctly ‘cabaret’ atmosphere (i.e. slightly drunken) and it’s a fast-paced frenetic show with little chance to pause for breath. Unlike a lot of cabaret shows there’s no compere and no filler. It’s just back to back acts. If you’ve seen it before you might be looking forward to the pole dancing city gents and their amazing pecs. Sadly, they’re not here this year but don’t fret. There’s plenty of buff male flesh including a comedic set piece with two chaps barely hiding their two old chaps behind skimpy towels.

    It’s the usual mix of comedy, acrobatics, hoola-hooping, puppetry and plain weirdness (a woman spinning around in an aerial display, suspended by her hair? I rest my case M’lud). Perfect for a Christmas night out or for raising you out of a case of the New Year doldrums.

    La Soiree plays until 3rd Feb 2018

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Cabaret – Leeds Grand Theatre and National Tour

    ★★★★ | On New Year’s Eve in 1938, American writer Clifford Bradshaw arrives in Berlin, and finds his way to the Kit Kat Club, a burlesque club hosted by the enigmatic Emcee, where the fluidity of sexuality, gender and sexual expression flow as freely as the gin. There he meets Sally Bowles, an excitable, if naïve, English woman, who performs at the club; and the two of them embark on an affair. But as the Nazi party rises to power, their friends both at the club and within the community find that their lifestyle places them all at risk as the nation starts to divide.

    THEATRE REVIEW | Cabaret - Leeds Grand Theatre and National Tour

    Starring Will Young and Louise Redknapp, this classic musical written by Kander and Ebb, needs very little introduction. Including the songs “Money Makes The World Go Around”, “Maybe This Time”, “Tomorrow Belongs To Me” and “Cabaret”, the show contrasts the bright lights of the carefree club with a story which has a surprisingly dark streak to it.

    The first act is awash with exuberant musical numbers, performed in a classic burlesque style; with the stage glowing in gold and orange lighting, and with an abundance of scantily clad and ridiculously attractive dancers, showing off a plethora of muscular pecs, torsos and biceps. The indulgence and pleasure of the Kit Kat Club then yields in the second act to a darker and more emotional story as the rise of fascism takes hold, impacting on the free-living community of the club.

    Will Young excels in his portrayal of Emcee; making his performance seem effortless and natural and injecting the role with just the right balance of humour, ambiguity and campness to be charismatic and alluring. His performance of the shows musical numbers is excellent, especially in opening the show with “Wilkomen” and in a haunting rendition of “I Don’t Care Much”. Louise Redknapp has her moments as Sally Bowles, and to her credit can belt out the show’s tunes, but her acting ability does not shine through and any stage presence that she may have gets lost amongst the charismatic cast; whereas Charles Hagerty provides solid and tuneful support in the role of Clifford Bradshaw

    The show is well staged, with a beautiful cast, thoughtful and interesting choreography and an impressive lighting design. The set is relatively stripped back giving the whole production a feel which is not too dissimilar to Kander and Ebb’s other musical, Chicago. It is beautiful to look at and Rufus Norris’ direction keeps the show moving along nicely.

    The revival of this production is timely, to say the least. With the recent resurgence in far-right political parties, the treatment of the gay community in Chechnya and with homophobic hate crimes reported to be on the rise, the show maintains a strong message about the impact of passivity and naivety to these issues on the gay community; a message which continues to resonate with audiences many years after the show was first performed.

    Cabaret is currently playing at Leeds Grand Theatre until Saturday 28th October 2017, before continuing on its national tour, calling at Milton Keynes, Manchester, Edinburgh, Bromely, Dublin and Brighton. Visit the tour’s website for details and tickets.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Five Guys Name Moe, Marble Arch Theatre London

    ★★★★ | Five Guys Named Moe

    THEATRE REVIEW | Five Guys Name Moe, Marble Arch Theatre London

    There’s a new theatre in town, it’s fabulous, and the show now playing at this theatre is fabulous as well.

    The Marble Arch Theatre, which is an Underbelly production (the team that brings us the excellent shows in the Southbank), is cleverly located right next to the arch in Marble Arch, is the newest theatre to pop up in London. It’s a gorgeous 650 seater wooden structure that includes a very large bar and an auditorium with a stage that is semi-circle in the round, a design that reflects the 1940’s New Orleans Jazz bars. And theatregoers will be able to take their seats at the cabaret tables in the Funky Butt Club and have drinks served directly to their tables for an up-close and personal musical experience all around them. And the show at this new theatre is Five Guys Named Moe, which is a show about Five Guys Named Moe (Big, Little, Eat, Know and Four-Eyed) who give guidance, advice and support to Nomax, who is single, broke and lamenting about a broken relationship with a woman named Lorraine.

    The Moes sing and dance their way throughout this two-hour very lively extravaganza, while Nomax (played by Edward Baruwa) takes it all in. Songs, featuring the hits of original jazz king Louis Jordan, include “Early in the Morning,” “I Like ‘em Like That,” “Safe, Sane and Single,” and “Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens” are sung by the Moes in such a fun and unique style. And there is also quite a bit of audience participation. One member of the audience who was chosen to recite some sentences on the night I saw it, and it was none other than stage and movie star Freddie Fox. The audience also gets to outdo each other, with the help of the Moes, in a sing-a-long that provides raucous laughter. It’s the oldest trick in the book to include the audience in the show to make sure they are having a great time, and the Moes use it to their advantage.

    Five Guys Named Moe is based on a musical of the same name by Jordan in 1943, and has been around since it’s 1990 UK debut (and a 2010 UK revival). With a book by Clarke Peters, it feels like this show has never left London. But if you’ve already seen it, seeing it again at the new Marble Arch Theatre will be a whole new experience, and perhaps more of an enjoyable one in a setting that matches the fun and frivolity of the show. Kudos to all the Moes who make it a fun night out (Ian Carlyle, Idriss Kargbo, Dex Lee, Horace Oliver and Emile Ruddock) and to Underbelly for copying their successful formula to Marble Arch, and to the production team for pulling it off and producing one big party.

    Five Guys Named Moe plays at the Marble Arch Theatre until 17 February 2018

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Footloose, Peacock Theatre London

    ★★★★ | Footloose

    THEATRE REVIEW | Footloose, Peacock Theatre London

    Kevin Bacon became a worldwide star in the 1984 hit film. And while there have been lots of stage versions produced after this, “Footloose,” no matter how many times you’ve seen it or have hummed the title song, will always bring a smile to your face.

    Another revival, now at the Peacock Theatre near Aldwych, and arriving into London right after a UK tour, keeps the toe-tapping alive with the show about a small town that has banned dancing, and the young out-of-towner who plans to shake things up.

    Rem McCormack (Joshua Dowen) and his mom Ethel (Lindsay Goodhand) move from their hometown of Chicago to the very small town of Bomont after Rem’s father left the family home to go ‘find himself.’ Rem integrates into his new school, filled with all sorts of people (though none of them, curiously, are black). His fellow students include Willard (Gareth Gates, who gets star billing) and the minister’s daughter Ariel (Hannah Price). It comes to light that the powerful minister, the Reverend Shaw (Reuven Gershon), has banned dancing in town because five years ago his young son and three others were killed in a car crash, no doubt, according to the minister, caused by the kid’s night out of having too much fun and possibly drinking.

    But Rem wants to have fun, but at the same time can’t seem to hold down a job due to his motto of trying to do the right thing, and he’s gotten off on the wrong foot with Ariel’s boyfriend Chuck (Connor Going – who strangely disappears during the middle of the show but returns for the finale). The other kids end up getting Rem to speak up for them at the city council meeting to denounce the dancing ban while it’s no surprise that Rem and Ariel have the hots for each other. It’s lots of loose feet, catchy tunes, a hot and sexy cast and way too many crotch jokes that make this version of Footloose a slight winner.

    Gareth Gates looking super hot in the London Production

    The music and the talented cast make the show very entertaining, but the show as a whole could be better. While all the film’s hits are included (“Footloose” of course, “Let’s Hear it for the Boy,” as well as “Holding Out for a Hero”), with some of the arrangements of these songs a bit different than what we’re used to, some of the other songs make a very big thud, including the dismal “Heaven Help Me” sung by Gershon. However, “Somebody’s Eyes” is beautifully sung by most of the cast in a very memorable scene. So while there are more ups than downs, the cast at the end of show work very very hard to get their standing ovation, practically repeating, in very shortened versions, almost every catchy and lively song from the show. And even though Gates gets top billing (and he even takes his top off to reveal an absolutely stunning body), both Dowen and Price are the true stars of the show. Their chemistry on stage is very real – both very good looking with all-American looks. Director Racky Plews and Choreographer Matthew Cole have, almost, done Kevin Bacon proud.

     

    Footloose plays at the Peacock Theatre London