Reviewed by Zoey Caldwell
I grew up watching Fame in the 80’s, I am a child of the 80’s and was so excited to be able to re-visit this time from my youth.
In the foyer before the show started we noticed that there were quite a few children and families attending the musical, working in a Primary School it is always lovely to see families enjoying the theatre experience together.
I would recommend that if you have a child under teenage years do not take them to this show, unless you want to be explaining what “getting hard is”, although the drum stick is used as a visual aid if you are under any misunderstanding, erections, porn and general crassness. There is no need for any of it. The song sung by Joe (Albey Brookes) made me uncomfortable FOR those parents out there with children. I was so pleased when the song ended but my goodness it carried on, this time with talk of how he got hard looking at his cousins’ breasts at his Aunties funeral. Not funny last night and not funny now. The character Joe is supposed to be the comic of the group of adolescents attending the Performing Arts School but the script writers let him down. I found the character annoying.
The cast work really hard during the performance and I feel have been let down by the script, songs and choreography.
The show did not seem to follow a storyline, rather a number of scenes that seem to have been thrown together. Almost like they were dropped by Mr Scheinkopf and jumbled up. The script is not engaging and the songs bored me, all except Mica Paris’s solo. Man, that woman can sing. A voice that will make the hairs on your arm stand up, her solo saved the entire show for me The other female cast members are talented singers, Molly McGuire that plays Serena has a beautiful voice, however although Stephanie Rojas that plays Carmen is a talented singer I felt she resorted to almost shouting down the microphone for her solo LA and when she sang with Mica Paris for the song FAME at the end. The sound was way too high for this, I felt like I had been at a Kings of Leon concert at the end not a musical.
The choreography didn’t impress me either, I am not sure if this is because I am looking at it with eyes that have seen the likes of Diversity and this was set in the 80’s but nothing stood out as wow. I was pleasantly surprised by Jorgie Porter’s dancing ability and her connection with Jamal Kane Crawford was believable, they moved well together.
I do not find writing this review comfortable as I could see the energy the cast put into each of their performances and would not want anybody to be dis-heartened but the show was really not good at all. Again I believe that is mostly down to a poor script, “see food and eat it??” That went down like a lead balloon and yet it is repeated later on in the musical. The solo by Hayley Johnston was beautifully sang but I have no idea what relevance it has to the show.
The set changes were smooth, but poor Jamal Kane Crawford had technical issues with his microphone, these things happen and it was promptly fixed or replaced for his next scene.
The final song has two yellow taxi models on pulleys moving up and down in the background and at the curtain. I understand that the show is set in New York but watching the car go up and down at the side of stage was weird to be honest. No purpose to it and a little distracting from the actors.
It is so unfortunate that I didn’t enjoy the show, I really wanted to.
Milton Keynes theatre is located in a fabulous district of eateries and bars as well as having its’ own beautiful area inside for relaxing pre-show. The staff were as ever, polite and courteous as well as well presented. It is a lovely theatre to visit.
I unfortunately would only give the show 1 star out of 5 and that is because of Mica Paris’s solo.
Rating: 1/5
Tickets cost from £16.90 (plus £3.65 transaction fee).
Fame the Musical is at Milton Keynes Theatre from 24-29 June 2019, for more information or to book tickets visit www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes or call the box office on 0844 8717652.
Milton Keynes Theatre, 500 Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes, Bucks, MK9 3NZ
