Tyne Theatre &Opera House, Newcastle – Tues 12th to Sat 16th July 2016
We’re kicking off our Sunday shoes, to cut loose to Footloose in Newcastle this week
Based on the 1984 film starring Kevin Bacon, Dean Pitchford has adapted his own screenplay into a stage show. Moving in from Chicago, newcomer Ren McCormack is in shock when he discovers the small Midwestern town of Bomont, he now calls home has made dancing and rock music illegal. As he struggles to fit in, Ren faces an uphill battle to change things.
This is a deliciously corny story, with comedy pal Willard for Ren to coach in dance and love, and the production is delightfully cheesy, but it just didn’t feel like a coherent show. There are some great one liners, but it is the musical numbers that let it down. Apart from Footloose (full of energy and fun), Holding Out For A Hero (belted out with glee and VERY tongue in cheek), Let’s Hear It For The Boy (hysterical) and a couple of other familiar songs, the remainder are forgettable, the elements just don’t gel. Maybe the way forward would have been to use the film soundtrack and be a jukebox musical instead
Gareth Gates was indisposed on Doctors orders so we were treated to Luke Thornton’s Willard – and what a treat it was. Whilst Gates may have a star name, Thornton most definitley possesses star quality. It won’t be long before he his playing leading roles in his own right and not just understudying them.
Proof it can be done comes from Luke Baker as Ren. When I first saw Baker he was the back of the ensemble and now he quite rightly leads the company. Both Luke’s are quite magnificent in these roles and they help to carry this show which seems to have potential but is quite sadly lacking.
Special mention too to Maureen Nolan who has amazing presence and shows why she is so fantastic with her solo performance of Can You Find it in Your Heart – a mini masterclass in how it should be done in one outstanding song
The cast are young and enthusiastic, they are also multi-talented playing their own instruments on stage. Hannah Price leads the girls as Preachers daughter Ariel, ably backed by her girls – Joanna Sawyer (Rusty), Natasha Brown (Wendy-Jo) and Miracle Chance (Urleen). They follow Director Racky Plews and choreographer Matthew Cole’s instructions well but there does seem to be something missing.
In fairness to the cast, the show was quite late starting due to technical difficulties and I don’t know if these difficulties continued in the first half as the second half was much better than the first. Also Sara Perks huge but versatile set seemed squashed on the small stage of the Tyne Theatre. The Tyne is exquisitely beautiful but small and I know Footloose as played much bigger venues on the tour.
Maybe on another night in another place this show can truly demonstrate what a powerhouse of a show it is meant to be and I look forward to seeing Footloose elsewhere because I know that in there somewhere is a production that is going to blow me a way