Hull New Theatre – until 22nd June 2024
Reviewed by Dawn Bennett
5*****
I have managed to see this production three times previously, in the West End, at Hull New Theatre and the film of the same name and I’ve loved it every time and I wondered what this show would be like and it was one word … fabulous.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is based on the true story of Jamie Campbell who, at 16 years old, aspired to be a drag queen and his big secret was that he wanted to go to his school prom in a dress. Jamie’s story was shown, as a documentary, on the BBC under the title of Jamie Drag Queen at 16.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, written by Dan Gillespie Sells and Tom Macrae from an original idea by Jonathan Butterell, is set in Sheffield in the last few weeks of school for a year 11 class.
This musical is slick and fast paced, the ensemble pieces are brilliant, the set is simple and very effective, changing from the school, to Jamies’s house, to Loco’s shop and back again.
The cast are outstanding. Ivano Turco plays the 16-year-old Jamie New beautifully, with just the right amount of sass and he is the very definition of a triple threat. Talia Palamathanan who is his best friend Pritti Pasha, is amazing in the role. When Rebecca McKinnis, (Margaret New), sang her solo numbers, ‘If I met myself again’ and ‘He’s my boy’ you could have heard a pin drop in the theatre, it was stunning. Sam Bailley, as teacher Miss Hedge, has a fabulous voice. Kevin Clifton was a revelation as drag queen Loco Chanelle and their alter ego Hugo; he was brilliant! I loved watching Anthony Gyde (Ky Kelly), Daniel Jacob and David McNair as drag queens Laika Virgin, Sandra Bollock and Tray Sophisticay they were hilarious. Sejal Keshwala was marvellous as Maragret’s friend Ray and Jordan Ricketts played school bully Dean with such nastiness at some points you could hear the sharp intake of breath from the audience! The rest of the cast and the ensemble were very, very talented and a pleasure to watch.
The music in this show is brilliant as are the band, led by musical director Danny Belton, with numbers including ‘And you don’t even know it’, ‘The legend of Loco Chanelle (and the blood red dress)’ ‘He’s my Boy’ and my absolute favourite ‘The Wall in my Head’ and many more.
I hope that everybody is talking about Jamie and are going to watch this brilliant show and you really won’t be disappointed!