Fame the Musical

The Zodiac were back on stage with their production of ‘Fame the Musical’, which was directed by Jessica Martin. Jessica had a clear vision for this piece, and it was clear that the cast shared this vision. Pace in the scenes was generally good and the production moved along nicely. The transitions could have been tightened up, but were a bit slow in places with some big set pieces to bring on. It was a shame that the reveal of the taxi (which looked great) didn’t have the impact it should have, as it could be seen in the wings during scene changes. The use of projections to denote different locations was good, and they looked great. The opening visuals were very cinematic and drew the audience into the production straight away. It was clear from the outset that this was a close-knit company, and the movement and stage positions were secure. The use of levels throughout was good, and helped with the stage positions. The costumes were good, and suited each character well, from the dancewear of the dance students to the rock attire of the music students.

Craig Price was the musical director for this production. Craig led the band well throughout, and the vocals from the cast were very good throughout.

As well as directing, Jessica Martin choreographed ‘Fame the Musical’. There are opportunities for some great choreography in this musical, due to the story, and Jessica choreographed different styles throughout, from ballet to modern. The cast attacked the choreography with energy and delivered it well. The ballet sequence performed by Holly Salisbury was strong, and the staging for this was very good, with Kate McHenry’s Miss Greta Bell looking on at her younger self.

Technical elements were well thought through in this production. The sound was generally good, and the balance between the band and cast was good. Unfortunately, Stuart’s microphone kept popping during ‘Jack’s Rap’, which was a real shame. The video wall and projections were great, helping to create different locations. The lighting was good throughout.

Ciera Evans played Serena Katz. This was a good performance from Ciera, showing a range of emotions. Ciera had some great comic timing, and her vocals throughout, especially in ‘Think of Meryl Streep’ were fantastic. There was a great relationship developed with Chris.

Chris Doyle played Nick Piazza, one of the acting students. This was a strong performance from Chris, putting his studies first. His vocals were great throughout and complimented Ciera’s vocals well.

Jack Parry worked extremely hard as Joe Vegas. He played the class clown well, and provided many comic moments throughout. His reaction to playing Romeo was very funny. Jack’s vocals were very good, and his performance of ‘Can’t Keep It Down’ was full of humour.

Chloe Warde played the troubled Carmen Diaz. This is a difficult role to portray, as the character deals with substance abuse. Chloe performed the role with dignity, and it was nice to see lighter moments of the character, especially in the interactions with Kyle. Chloe’s vocals were very good as well.

Stuart Wilson-Maher played the dancer, Jack Zakowski. Stuart really shone in the dancing in this part, and worked well with Grace and the featured dancers. Stuart showed the difficulties that Jack encountered in his learning due to his dyslexia well.

Grace Dougall played Iris Kelly. This was a good performance from Grace, as the late addition to the school. Grace built a good relationship with Stuart, and performed well with him. Grace was very good in the routines.

Kyle Hickman played Schlomo Metzenbaum. This was a good performance from Kyle, as the musician trying to escape his father’s shadow. There was a great friendship developed with Katie and Santino, and a good relationship with Chloe. Kyle’s final monologue was moving and sincere.

Katie Morris (Grace Lamb) and Santino Apollonio (Goodman King) worked well with Kyle, creating a cohesive unit. You believed their friendship and the banter between the bandmates was good.

Ruby Tuft played Mabel Washington. This was a convincing performance from Ruby, as she battled with her body image. Ruby’s performance was infused with humour, and her vocals in ‘Mabel’s Prayer’ were great. This was a very good cameo performance.

Kat Jae was convincing as Miss Esther Sherman. She was the strong figure of the school, and used her stage presence to demonstrate this. Kat’s vocals were great, and she performed ‘These Are My Children’ with great emotion.

Kate McHenry (Miss Greta Bell), Simon Pickup (Mr Sheinkopf) and Tom Buckler (Mr Myers) made up the rest of the teaching staff. Kate was strong, showing a nurturing side to her students. Her duet with Kat, ‘Teacher’s Argument’, was very good. All credit to Simon, who not only took on the role of Mr Sheinkopf, but played in the band as well!

The featured dancers (Laura Johnson (Dance Captain), Chloe Pennington, Jess Rigby, Holly Salisbury, Eleanor Smith and Beth Stratford) were strong and attacked Jessica’s choreography with energy and vigour.

The ensemble was good throughout, helping to create atmosphere throughout. They were confident in what they were doing, and added greatly to the production.

Overall, this was a good production. The projections used were very good, the principal characters were strong, and the choreography was good throughout.

A big thank you to everyone at The Zodiac for their kind invite and their hospitality.

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