Fame The Musical at Theatre Royal Plymouth Review

DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW

Reviewed by Helen Wyatt

First produced as a film in 1980, Fame became a cultural phenomenon thanks to its portrayal of students striving for success at New York City’s High School of Performing Arts – known as PA. The film was created by director Alan Parker and writer Christopher Gore, and its popularity later led to a stage musical adaptation featuring a largely new score written by Steve Margoshes and Jacques Levy. This latest production has particular significance in Plymouth as it marks the 30th anniversary revival of the musical, returning to the city where it originally premiered three decades ago.

The Theatre Royal Plymouth provided a comfortable setting for the performance, with reasonably spacious seating and an excellent view of the whole stage that made it easy to take in everything that was happening. Drinks and snacks are available inside the theatre, and parking is easy and convenient. Before or after the performance, there are lots of restaurants in the area.

The ensemble brought the enthusiasm of the young performers attending PA to life throughout the entire show, authentically depicting the drive and aspirations of young actors pursuing their goals in the early 80s. The props, haircuts and clothes all seemed true to the time period too. This was further enhanced by things like the use of boom boxes. Because they were made to seem realistic, complete with tape crackles and the need to rewind before the music could continue, these were very successful.

The staging was another highlight. The revolving stage contained a large building with different moving parts, representing different views of the school, inside and out, providing a variety of perspectives and helping the scenes smoothly transition. This gave the impression of a much larger setting without being overly complicated and the set design managed to portray the dark gritty nature of New York in the early 80s.

One of the most impressive aspects of the production was the sheer amount of talent involved. The cast needed to sing, dance, act, deliver comedy and, in some cases, play musical instruments live on stage. The performers also had the challenge of staging part of a play within the musical itself. The performers were all clearly very accomplished dancers, and while contemporary dance is not normally something I particularly enjoy, it was impossible not to appreciate the skill involved in all the dance sequences.

The large majority of the characters felt like they were believably portrayed, although there were moments when some of the American accents slipped ever so slightly. That said, these occasional moments didn’t take away from the overall quality of the performances.

Vocally, two performers stood head and shoulders above an already strong cast. Megan Ellis as Serena Katz and Shanay Holmes as Miss Sherman delivered standout performances with exceptional singing throughout the evening. Holmes was particularly impressive during These Are My Children, performing the number with genuine passion and emotion that made it one of the most memorable moments of the show for us.

However, this show comes with a small warning: anyone attending in the hope of hearing every song from the film may be a little disappointed. Apart from the title song Fame, which provides one of the show’s biggest moments in the finale, most of the well-known film tracks do not appear. Instead, the stage musical uses a largely new score, creating a different musical feel that generally works well on stage, although some of the songs felt slightly more ambitious than memorable.

All things considered, this anniversary performance effectively pays tribute to the musical’s Plymouth origins while highlighting the cast’s extraordinary talents. I would highly recommend seeing the show to anyone who loves nostalgic movies and shows, as this production will take you right back to the early 80s and is a very enjoyable experience.

Rating: 5/5

Tickets cost from £29

Fame The Musical is at Plymouth Theatre Royal from 05 Aug–15 Aug 2026. For more information or to book tickets visit theatreroyal.com

Plymouth Theatre Royal, Royal Parade, Plymouth, PL1 2TR