Mayflower Theatre Southampton – until 16 October 2019
Reviewed by Leanne Caplis
5*****
Kate Prince MBE and her company Zoonation bring to the stage the all singing and all dancing production that is Some Like it Hip Hop.
A dancing extravaganza with a story of ‘The Governor’ and his broken heart, banished books, no love and where women are kept subservient to men. The two female leads Jo-Jo and Kerri break the rules of the City and are thrown out but to prove their worth they return as men. Can Jo-Jo find true love? Will the Governor ever love again and find his daughter and will books find a way back into the City? Watch as the story unfolds as two females change the world.
This show opens with a local dance troop being given the opportunity to take to a theatre stage and boy did they do well! With loud whoops and cheers from the audience the youngsters amazed us with their moves for the first five minutes.
Then on with the main event and it really is an event not to be missed. This show is non-stop energy. It is jam-packed from curtain up and there really is no time to take your eyes of the stage.
The choreographers have worked wonders with the cast and I’ve never seen a story told through dance in such a way before. I was on the edge of my seat watching the street dancing and was in awe over the emotional dance scenes.
The lead female singers were out of this world! Voices that would not be out of place on the West End; powerful and beautiful. The only time my eyes were taken from the dances was to watch the singers. I was mesmerised by them and their ability to own a stage where already so much was happening.
It is hard to find negatives for this show and I had to dig deep. The narrator, on occasion, was difficult to understand. However, for me, the storyline wasn’t my main interest it was the infectious energy of the dancers. The only other gripe was the lack of programmes. Whilst all of the cast put 110% effort in, I would have liked to have mentioned a few by name and also know a bit more about them and where I could see them next.
The finale where each cast member did their own individual dances was terrific. Somersaults, back spins, balancing, the splits, and much more were on offer. The sheer delight of the audience at this part was evident with the clapping and cheering. The audience were on their feet for a standing ovation and it was easy to see why. With no time to sit back down the cast got everybody into a dance-along meaning we left the theatre smiling and dancing.
I look forward to seeing more by Zoonation and for those who have not had the chance to see this, I urge you to book. A beat boxing, rapping, singing and dancing sensation you should really not miss!