Footloose

Footloose is based on the story of Ren and his mother Ethel, who move from Chicago to a small farming town. Not prepared for the rigorous local restrictions and a ban on dancing by the local preacher, he falls foul of a local roughneck who makes things difficult for him. This is a show full of great music, a strong storyline and lots of dancing. With a very strong opening we experienced some great choreography, and the high energy displayed in the opening number got the show off to a vibrant and strong start. 

The staging of the show was well directed by Steven Swan, and the use of an open set enabled seamless movement from scene to scene. A strong line up of principals and supporting ensemble brought great singing, acting, dance and movement to the stage. Ren McCormack, played by Tristan Monahan and rebel daughter Ariel Moore played by Laura McKay on the night I attended showed us strong characterisation as well as good vocal and acting abilities. The role of Rusty was played by Aimee Sharp, and she demonstrated great character within her performance. Wendy Jo played by Kate Leith, and Urleen played by Cerys Tinney, both brought strong performances, and this contributed to the high energy throughout the production. Willard Hewitt played by Rajmund Olah, and Chuck Cranston played by Kai Simpson both gave polished performances. Alice Wylie in the role of Ethel McCormack showed empathy and a somewhat vulnerable side to the character. The Reverand Shaw Moore played by Jonathan Proctor and Vi Moore played by Sandra Craig displayed a real sense of pathos in their roles, bringing contrast and light and shade into the production. Ensemble performances were of a high standard and the commitment given by everyone on the stage gave the audience a great production to watch. There is always something that particularly attracts your attention in a production and I’d like to take this opportunity to mention the lighting design by Pentagon Event Solutions and Lewis MacNeil, which added great depth and layers to an already excellent production.  

The band under the musical direction of Cameron Tasker was well balanced and the principal and ensemble singing, and vocal harmonies were very solid. Choreography by Maxine Scott was slick and fast paced. The production team and those working backstage to ensure the smooth running of the show should be congratulated. Well done to everyone involved in this excellent production.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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