Footloose at the Wycombe Swan Review
Reviewed by Louise Styles
Currently performing at the High Wycombe Swan until Saturday 13 May is the toe tapping Footloose the Musical. The Swan is a great venue, extremely helpful and friendly staff, small enough to really make you close to the action but big enough to host some great shows. The car park is directly adjacent to the theatre, which allows you to literally park and walk right in. We were a little early for the show last night so decided to stop at the bar first. The bar staff were all friendly, they worked the queue fairly and there was no delay in getting our drinks.
Once seated in the 1000 seat auditorium the loud opening bars of Footloose instantly capture your attention. I’ve seen this show before and have seen the films so I know the story fairly well, despite that the songs and the humour still make me smile and it’s a very enjoyable evening out.
The original 80s film, subsequent 2011 remake and the stage show are all based on a true story of a town where dancing is illegal and the challenge to overturn that law. After leaving their life in Chicago a mother and teenage son move to a polar opposite small town, Bomont. The Reverend’s daughter Ariel soon intrigues Ren, the son, and we follow their journey to each other and their quest to be able to dance.
Having seen the show before I have seen Hannah Price perform as Ariel and she was every inch as good. A really powerful voice and a great actress. Ren is played by Joshua Down, who I thought was outstanding. The pair of them worked really well together and the chemistry was believable. Performing as Willard, Ren’s high school friend, is Gareth Gates. Without giving too much away, Willard is a funny character in both senses of the word and his performance highlight is a little revealing towards the end of act 1, enjoy ladies. Maureen Nolan plays the minister’s wife Vi Moore, she’s everything you would want in the reverends wife, calm, reassuring and has a lovely singing voice.
A really unique selling point to this show is that the cast all play instruments on stage and seamlessly manage to blend it into the show so that its quite normal after a short while. There were some time keeping issues occasionally which disappointed me slightly – the fast-paced dance action is what this show is all about and to see the timing lost dimmed the magic in places. That aside it was a great night out, the sign of a good show is when you drive home belting out tunes you’ve just seen such as Footloose, Holding out for a Hero and Let’s hear it for the boy!
Rating: 4/5
Tickets cost from £26 to £49.50 (booking fees may apply).
Footloose is at the Wycombe Swan from 8-13 May 2017, for more information or to book tickets visit www.wycombeswan.co.uk or call the box office on 01494 512 000.
Wycombe Swan, St. Mary Street, High Wycombe, HP11 2XE | 01494 512 000
