Everybody's Talking About Jamie

With Everybody’s Talking About Jamie WOW produced yet another stunning show of professional quality, combining outstanding energy, power, emotion and what I might best describe as ‘attitude’ from the cast, to tell the story in a thoroughly engaging, enjoyable and moving way. It gripped the audience right from the opening scene with its buzz of the year 11 classroom, wonderfully staged and delivered with gusto, and it never let that grip loosen until the stirring final scene.

The acting was first class, and the high standard achieved across the board was all the more impressive not only because of the relatively young age of the actors, playing adult roles so convincingly (WOW constantly amazes on that score), but also because of the subtlety, nuance and wit that the characters and script require throughout, in addition to masses of energy. Jamie may be the central character but our engagement with him is dependent not only on the quality of the actor playing him (and the quality of the acting was indeed superb) but also on the believability of everyone else’s reactions and attitude towards him. Everyone in the cast deserves great praise for their performances and teamwork. We had a very convincing as the teacher, Miss Hedge, who consistently discriminates against Jamie. Pritti, Jamie’s close class friend, was played with wonderful subtlety and warmth. Her song It Means Beautiful had a powerful and beautiful simplicity. Her relationship with Jamie was fundamental to the story and they both played it to perfection. There was a great Dean, the class bully, and he brought out brilliantly both the menace and the character’s vulnerability. Ray, the friend of Jamie’s mother and Jamie himself, was very well playedwho really brought out her caring and supportive nature, plus a large dose of ‘attitude’, especially in the song Limited Edition.

Jamie’s Dad burned with angst and quiet anger and he also played, excellently, Laika Virgin, one of the drag queens. We’re introduced to the drag queen side of the story when Jamie visits the shop, Victor’s Secret. This scene, with the superb Hugo (aka Loco Chanellel) and the ‘play within a play’ and song of The Legend of Loco Chanelle, introduced a different gear and feel to the show, in terms of style, humour, emotion and drama. Well done to the cast of The Legend and of course to the Director and Choreographer (Martine Burt) for achieving this gear shift so effectively.. There were also brilliant drag queens Sandra Bollock and Tray Sophisticay, playing the parts with panache. Along with  Laika Virgin they drew much laughter from the audience in the scene inside the club, Legs Eleven. Combining drama and humour, they also sang superb harmonies with Hugo/Loco Chanelle song Over the Top.

As already mentioned, the superb as the sassy, funny and poignant Hugo/Loco Chanelle, delivering an outstanding performance in every respect, acting, singing and movement. Confident and totally convincing, with a great voice and range of emotion and humour, I particularly enjoyed his motivational talk with Jamie. Outstanding too, and absolutely brilliant, were Jamie and Margaret, Jamie’s mother. Both delivered tour de force performances, maintaining throughout their very demanding roles the believability energy and emotion of the characters and excelling in both acting and singing. As a result, we as the audience were totally invested them emotionally. Jamie was on stage for almost the whole of the show and Jamie didn’t miss a beat. In the song The Wall In My Head he delivered an immense surge of power and emotion, he was great at the witty quips and when Jamie stands up to Dean, the bully, he showed the fire within the character. As Jamie’s mother, the actress had the additional challenge of playing up in age and she was brilliant in every respect, bringing out so much the subtleties and nuances of the character; utterly convincing, and with great assurance, composure and self-containment. Her song about her younger self, If I Met Myself Again, was just stunning; wonderfully sung and really heartfelt. Well done indeed.

The set, lighting and sound elements were also superb. The set for the kitchen in Jamie’s house, for example, was very effective indeed with the units, sink etc. and then for the next scene it was turned around to become a school corridor and toilet. The neon lighting at the back of the stage for some of the school scenes was very impressive, and lighting and set items were used creatively and to great effect in creating the feel of the different locations.

The Band providing the music was relatively small in number – saxophone, trumpet, guitar, bass guitar and drums – but the sound they created was spot-on for the show and they worked really well together. Congratulations to them all and to the Musical Director, Nikki Budd. Congratulations too to the Director and Choreographer, Martine Burt. The dancing in the first song, for example was fast paced and packed a punch, complementing Jamie’s assertive, positive attitude and lyrics. There were more lively dance moves by the chorus in the song Work of Art; indeed, much of the energy of the show was created by the dancing and singing, as shown in the title song at the start of Act 2, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, delivered by the Company with loads of pace and enthusiasm. This show was an ensemble piece and everyone should feel very proud to have brought to life on stage such a powerful, funny and moving musical drama. Congratulations to everyone involved in the production.

Martin Stephen

Representative, District 11, South West Region

National Operatic and Dramatic Association

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