By: Various
By: Wendy Sheard
More than forty years after first captivating audiences, FAME still has the power to entertain, inspire and remind us why the performing arts matter.
At its core, this is a story about ambitious and driven young people attending the down-at-heel New York City High School of Performing Arts in the 1980s. We meet the staff and students and learn more through their high-energy performances. We see glimpses of their childhood, the experiences which drive them and the passion they have for music, dance and drama.
This magnificent performance is home grown by the TRP Production team, directed and choreographed by Tom Jackson Greaves; indeed, the musical started its European premiere here more than 30 years ago.
There is so much to like beyond the music and dance. For me, the real star of the production is the evocative, ever-changing set. Constantly revolving, it transports us effortlessly from classrooms and dance studios to performance spaces, bustling streets, secret rendezvous and intimate conversations.
The characters are likeable, believable and you want them to be successful, to achieve excellence in their chosen creative pursuit. The importance of succeeding academically was highlighted throughout and beautifully performed by Shanay Holmes [Miss Sherman, school principal]. Her rendition of ‘These are my Children’ in Act Two was both touching and inspiring. This conflict was also underscored through dance; the frustration and anger of academic failure was communicated beautifully and very powerfully by Amonik Melaco [Tyrone]
There are so many strong performances with lovely asides and vignettes to keep us on our toes; characters such as Lambchops (Georgia Lelia Stoller) is sassy, irreverent and loud, while Jose (Harrison Wilde) is raucous, rude and randy, both are memorable for all the right reasons. The interaction between characters is strong, demonstrating care and support as well as jealousy and suspicion, all of which take us from Freshman to Senior Year and finally graduation.
This production cleverly combines all the ingredients of a successful musical; an imaginative set, seamless stage management, wonderful musicality and energetic dance routines, creating an evening that is joyous, charming and great fun.
Of course, the highlight is hearing ‘FAME’ sung with passion, you can’t help but get involved, stand and sing along, remembering those long-lost days of the 1980s, the film and subsequent TV series.
This production reminds us that ‘FAME’ is far more than an iconic musical. Its celebration of talent, perseverance and the transformative power of the arts feels just as inspiring and relevant today as it did more than forty years ago.
FAME has been ‘reignited, revived, reimagined’ and will, I am sure, live forever’!
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By: Jim Hutchins
FAME’s official opening night at Theatre Royal Plymouth draws enthusiastic fans, eager to revisit this classic. The excitement is contagious, with anticipation buzzing through the theatre before we even get to our seats.
For many, the journey began with Alan Parker’s iconic 1980 film, followed by the hugely successful television series and a 2009 movie remake.
The cast brings vibrant energy to the stage with great dance routines and powerful vocal performances, not only in the solos but particularly during the large ensemble numbers.
Award-winning performer Shanay Holmes as Miss Sherman commands the stage, delivering powerful vocals that elevate every scene she appears in.
Among an impressive company, Megan Ellis delivers a particularly memorable vocal performance as Serena Katz.
We follow a crowd of young people as they are accepted into the School of Performing Arts. They are a diverse group and many of them wouldn’t have been able to achieve their ambitions by any other route.
We accompany them as they progress, not only through four years of training, but as they develop from teenagers into emerging adult musicians, dancers and actors. As in real life, the road isn’t smooth and the pains of growing up as a person and as an artist draw empathy from the audience. Perhaps that sense of recognition is what continues to draw us back to FAME.
Audiences will love hearing the soundtrack from the earlier theatre performances again.
Those who have only seen the film versions will find the songs in the musical equally powerful and memorable. The opening night audience responds enthusiastically to every number, maintaining it’s energy throughout the performance.
The opening bars of Dean Pitchford and Michael Gore’s title song, FAME, tease us during Act One, delaying the inevitable payoff until the finale. Personally, I would have welcomed even more sparkle and theatrical flair in the finale, but it still delivers the celebratory finish the audience has been waiting for.
Although the show has been reimagined, it delivers an authentic atmosphere of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s that preserves producer and arts educator, David De Silva’s original vision.