Flashdance the Musical - Plymouth

Reviewed By: JonPaul Hedge

What a feeling - to walk out of the theatre totally enthused and inspired. Flashdance has to be the hottest musical to hit the stage this year.

In short, it is a triumph. The atmosphere emanating from both stage and auditorium was electric as the curtain came down on this fine production.

It was the net result of two and a half hours of fast paced, raunchy, dynamic, innovative, scorchingly good performances, masterfully choreographed, produced and directed by a greatly gifted team.

And the early Eighties aren’t necessarily the best years to draw inspiration from. Bad hair, bright colours - especially in America where the production set.

But the team have taken the best bits of the movie and put it on the stage, giving it a whole new quality you simply don’t get in the film.

The scene is set in Pittsburgh, USA, and follows the plight of Alex (Victoria Hamilton-Barritt), whose goal is to obtain a place at a prestigious dance academy.

Her triumph over adversity is played out against a scorching score that includes Maniac, Manhunt, Gloria, I Love Rock and Roll and the Academy Award-winning title track, Flashdance – What a Feeling.

Victoria Hamilton-Barritt hammers down the role like a carpenter on overtime.

I don’t know how Noel Sullivan looks back on the success of his Hear’say days, but his true forte is musical theatre.

Bruno Langley as the good-gone-bad Jimmy Kaminsky demonstrated just why this show works.

On he comes with You Can’t Keep Me Down, a fairly run-of-the-mill song, performed in a grey hoodie, to a metallic open backdrop.

But his delivery, with some simply outstanding, fresh and uplifting choreography, totally transformed the scene.

Add Bernie Nolan as concerned mother Hannah Owens and a highly charged ensemble and you can’t fail to get engrossed.

This show might be starting off in Plymouth but it’s got legs and is going to run.

Catch it while it’s on your doorstep.

© What's On South West, 25/7/08

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