Everybody's Talking About Jamie

It is quite incredible what the Youth of Banbury Operatic Society (YOBOS) are able to achieve in just one week of intensive rehearsal.  On this occasion there were three aspects of the production that particularly caught my eye.  Firstly, the characters were remarkably well developed.  “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie” isn’t a particularly subtle show, loud and proud in putting its message across, but the principals kept it real by balancing the triumphant moments with a fair bit of self-doubt and personal angst.  Secondly, the dialogue and characterisation were spot-on.  Everyone knew their lines perfectly, but what stood out was how well the cues were timed, with the occasional deliberate pause gaining real significance as a result.  The actors also understood how to use gestures and body language to best effect, and there wasn’t any nervous windmilling of arms which can be a tell-tale sign of insufficient rehearsal.  Thirdly, the choreography was at the next level, crisp and energetic, with some complex steps and appropriately styled armography reminiscent of Michelle Visage, and with precisely-timed sequenced movements.

The show includes plenty for the ensemble to do, and they opened proceedings with a well-drilled, energetic and confidently sung performance of “And You Don’t Even Know It”.  The six-piece band included several young musicians; a happy consequence of much of the accompaniment being provided by keyboard, bass and drums was that the balance between the band and the performers was generally good throughout.  The flexible staging worked really well, with the walkway round the pit bringing the action right into the auditorium, and enabling slick scene changes on the main stage.  Transparent panels in the rear walls allowed for sequenced coloured lights which added drama to several of the ensemble numbers.  The desk and seat units were sturdy enough to support dancers, allowing the classroom-based routines to benefit from levels, spotlight dancers and so forth; they were also mobile and adaptable enough to be rearranged quickly, and to serve as furniture in other contexts.  There was a Eurovision vibe to the some of the costumes, with the school uniforms worn by the company in the classroom routines very reminiscent of Daz Sampson, and with echoes of Conchita Wurst amongst the drag queens.

“Everybody’s Talking About Jamie” is a musical that knows what it wants to say, and the director made sure that everyone got the message without forcing the issues.  The Sheffield setting was established through the accent which was admirably consistent throughout the company, and the delicate relationship between the narrative action and the set-piece show-stoppers was finely managed.  The performance was punctuated by carefully constructed tableaux, and the closing bows sequence was imaginatively staged.  This was thought-provoking theatre on several levels, a production that felt more important than any evanescent piece of musical theatre should be, a show that somehow ended up greater than the sum of its parts.

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