Review: FOOTLOOSE, Richmond Theatre

There seem to be something consistently appealing about the music of the 1980s; acts such as Rick Astley and Bananarama seem to attract more concert-goers today than they did in their heyday. It makes sense, therefore, for a revival of a musical featuring such classic hits as "Holding Out For A Hero" and "Let's Hear It For The Boy" would appeal to the current zeitgeist.

The iconic 1984 film Footloose made a star out of Kevin Bacon and was remade in 2011, introducing a new generation to its music. Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie's adaptation of Footloose The Musical opened in 1998 for more than 700 performances and gained a number of Tony Award nominations. UK audiences had to wait until 2004 to see the show based on the amazing but true story of Elmore City in Oklahoma, where dancing was banned for 88 years. The production follows Chicago-born Ren McCormack, forced to move to small town Bomont with his mother after the disappearance of his father. A classic tale of youth rebellion succeeding against the restraints of the establishment of the town follows.

As Ren, this is Joshua Dowen's biggest role to date and he takes to it with aplomb. He has a brilliantly natural movement and the energy fizzes under his skin as he tries to inject some life into the sleepy backwater. He has a strong voice overall, but is a little pitchy on the highest notes.

The love interest is preacher's daughter Ariel, played by Hannah Price, who reprises her role from the 2016 tour. She has great likability and a strong and powerful voice, showcased best by the famous "Holding Out For A Hero", which is probably the best performance of the night. However, her struggle to retain a relationship with her father often comes across as petulant rather than earnest and her storming out of the family home becomes a little repetitive.

Ariels's group of girlfriends is excellent, with special mention going to Emma Fraser as Wendy-Jo. Not only does she have a great voice and movement, but shows excellent comic timing and raises many of the laughs in the show.

Original Pop Idol runner-up and musical veteran Gareth Gates will be a big draw for audiences. He is something of a revelation in the goofy, comedic role of Ren's new friend Willard. He demonstrates suitably awkward physical comedy and manages to perform for most of the show with a toothpick in his mouth. It's a shame he has little chance to shine vocally, with his only solo being "Mama Says", which is not the strongest song or performance in the show. There is also a point where he is stripped down to glittering gold hot pants, showing off a buff and glistening torso; this feels distinctly old fashioned and unnecessary as part of the show.

This is a multi-talented cast. All the music is played by the cast themselves, as they are onstage. Drums and keyboards are secreted around the set and clarinets and sax appear from nowhere. This is a very well executed idea; the cast manages to act, dance, sing and play instruments without losing breath.

The show's upbeat music is what you remember; tunes such as the brilliant title track remain as infectious as ever. The ballards are less successful and split the cast; the youth get the bright and bouncy numbers, the adults are mostly left with the dirge-like tracks such as "Heaven Help Me".

On press night, it was not clear if there were technical difficulties, or if there is simply very poor lighting design; spotlights flickered on and off and rarely followed the characters smoothly. It often felt as though the cast were acting in a halflight, as action frequently seemed to occur in shadow.

The finale to the show begins at the school dance and starts with a slight curtain raise to show just the legs and feet of the cast. Unfortunately, this looks more like a technical fault, rather than a clever directorial decision. The scene, however, is the most energetic and infectious part of the show and will leave you humming your way home.

Footloose is at Richmond Theatre until 20th May, then touring

Photo Credit: David Ellis