An Officer and a Gentleman at the Mayflower Theatre Southampton Review

Reviewed by Helen Warner

The story is centred on a young man, Zack Mayo, who has signed up for navy school. The training is tough, and the naval officer is even tougher! During his training Zach meets a lady, Paula, with whom he falls in love. Throughout you see Zach change from a difficult young man with a troubled past to an officer and a gentleman! Things however don’t always run smoothly…

When entering the theatre, the first thing we noticed was the large screen playing a variety of old adverts and programs, this made us feel very nostalgic.

The show began, and WOW what a show it was, the lead actors, Jonny Vines who played Zach and Emma Williams who played Paula were truly amazing, they had a stage presence that absolutely captivated the audience. When they sang, they had such fabulous powerful voices that oozed emotion. The songs were classics that had us itching to dance and sing along. The chemistry and passion between Emma and Jonny was obvious which really helped us feel immersed in the story. The support actors, Ray Shell, Ian McIntosh, Jessica Daley amongst others were just as brilliant, the acting flowed flawlessly and everyone who sang did so with such conviction. We didn’t want the show to end!

There were some sad and emotional scenes which were portrayed perfectly, dragging you in and making you feel a part of it.

The set was unbelievable, every detail had been thought of and the scene changes were flawless. The whole stage changed completely into believable rooms and areas. I absolutely loved the waves in the bedroom scenes, breath-taking views. What we thought was an absolute genius idea were the pre-filmed projections onto the screen surrounding the stage, such as Jonny training in the mud, or the other candidates in the water doing the immersion training. Utterly superb. I cannot speak highly enough of this production and all the actors involved, not forgetting the lighting and the wonderful orchestra who pitched the music and volume just right.

We want to go and see this again and again.

The Mayflower is easy to find and there is ample parking nearby. There are also several places to eat locally. The theatre itself is a lovely building with comfortable seating. There are plenty of staff around to direct you to your seat and help with any questions you may have.

5 out of 5 stars – would recommend to everyone!

Rating: 5/5

Tickets cost from £20 to £49.50 (booking fees may apply).

An Officer and a Gentleman is at the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton from1-5 May 2018, for more information or to book tickets visit www.mayflower.org.uk or call the box office on 02380 711811.

Mayflower Theatre, Commercial Road, Southampton, SO15 1GE | 02380 711811