Bradford Alhambra – until 1st September 2018
Reviewed by Melanie Torley
3***
This is the 30th anniversary of the musical Fame which is based on the iconic 1980’s film of the same name. The show certainly delivers a high energy performance from all the cast with leg warmers galore. The set is simple and functional with a backdrop of yearbook photos which light up throughout the show.
The plot is very broad and touches on the highs and lows of the youngsters at the School of the Performing Arts and in the space of two hours covers, drug abuse, illiteracy, race and gender prejudices, peer and parent pressure all wrapped up in the desire to be famous and have one’s name in lights. There’s such a lot going off that you don’t get to know the characters well enough to build up any emotions or empathy towards their plight and struggles.
We are introduced to the rather ballsy student Carmen (played by Stephanie Rojas) who believes she will be famous and her name will live forever. She is tempted away from the school by a ‘talent scout’ from LA who promises her the sky but leads her in to a life of deprivation and drug dependency. Stephanie Rojas delivers strong vocals throughout, not least when she sings the title score ‘Fame’.
There’s a will they, won’t they, is he gay, is he straight scenario played throughout the show by Nick (Keith Jack who you may remember from the tv show Any Dream Will Do) and Serena (Molly McGuire). There’re comedic moments throughout the show too from the ever-hungry for food as much as fame Mabel (played by Hayley Johnston) and Joe (Albey Brookes), who is most inappropriately cast as Romeo at one point.
Iris (played by Jorgie Porter of Hollyoaks / Dancing on Ice fame) is the new girl and makes an appearance half-way through the first act. She dances and sings well throughout the show and I have to say her hair never moves out of place, she looks like the perfect ballerina doll throughout the show.
Miss Sherman is played brilliantly by Mica Paris, who drives the students hard, almost to the point of breaking at times but always with the intention of bringing out the best in her students and to prepare them for a life perhaps without fame. In the second act she is particularly hard on Tyrone (played by Jamal Crawford) and points out his illiteracy to the whole class. The scene is played so emotionally by both cast members and is followed by the solo score ‘These are My Children’ which shows off the fabulous vocal talents of Mica Paris, after which the whole audience erupted in to a rapturous applause.
The show was brought to a close most appropriately by the title score ‘Fame’ lead by Mica Paris and Stephanie Riojas, at which the whole audience were on their feet singing, clapping and dancing.
If like myself and my sister, you have fond memories of the TV series from the 80’s you will struggle with the musical production but as we left the theatre I spoke to some younger members of the audience who were in raptures with the whole show.