Footloose

Based on the film of the same name from 1984, 'Footloose' is a show built around the idea of the eventual coming together of a community which has been riven by the potential dangers of dancing: if that sounds at first glance a somewhat preposterous notion - and let's be honest, it is!  The narrative and the thematic material in the show make an audience forget the rather ridiculous nature of the premise and I for one was certainly drawn in to the drama.

A well-staged production with an enthusiastic young cast really made the most of the piece and the Pendle Hippodrome Theatre was, as always, a super venue for the production which acted as a showcase for the wealth of young talent rising up in local amateur theatre'

Leading the ensemble as the young dance-fiend Ren. Marcus Geldard impressed with his cocky-swagger and bouncy confidence: throwing himself into the musical numbers and displaying nifty footwork aplenty, he also gave a performance which showed an understanding of the role's more thoughtful moments too. His polar opposite in the town of Bomont, the dance-hating Rev. Moore was given a thoughtful reading by Lewis Bolton. I had half expected a cardboard cut-out pantomime villain but the role was played with a considered understanding which was impressive. Calm, level-headed and mature, Lewis really brought something special to the character and made the role his own. Particularly impressive were the three feisty firebrands Rusty, Urleen and Wendy-Jo, marvellously played by Jess Balderstone, Laura Schofield and Brogan Riley. Acting as a kind of small-town Greek chorus, the three girls performed magnificently and the 'somebody's Eyes' number in particular really stood out as something extra special due in no small part to their excellent performances. Facial expressions, diction, musical prowess... these girls really impressed in every department: good work ladies. Robyn Hargreaves had just the right amount of dash and swagger as Rev. Moore's wayward daughter Ariel, sneaking out to join the illicit dancing meetings with the town naughties and bad boy Chuck was given a realistic portrayal by Stephen Collinge. Jade Brett and Danielle Edwards gave strong performances as Vi and Ethel, the beleaguered mums doing their best under trying circumstances in Bomont and the resident slow-witted hillbilly Willard was brought to life splendidly by Nick Staton. The rest of the cast performed well in a number of smaller roles and particularly noticeable was Regan Kerr as Coach Dunbar - a strong performance in small role is always a sign of a thoughtful performance, a considered production and a strong society. Well done Regan - someone to watch for the future there.

Excellent staging helped to propel the narrative with scenes flowing seamlessly and a number of great sets really created the right atmosphere.  The set pieces really impressed and choreography was first-rate throughout, with music, drama and movement coming together to create a thought provoking through production of some quality.

Young MD Tim Mason had obviously worked hard with the cast and his orchestra as musical numbers shone and the ensemble had clearly been inspired and well-drilled by the production team.  Full marks to Lisa Manley for leading the way here, for this were clearly a happy production which the whole society had got behind and believed in; it really shows on stage when a production has had a real team spirit in rehearsals.  From the humour of ‘Mama Says’ to the emotion of ‘Can You Find it in your Heart’ the lively crowd pleasing numbers ‘Footloose’ and ‘Holding Out for a Hero’ and the deeper ‘Somebody’s Eyes’, a clear understanding of the requirements of the piece was evident and thoughtfully executed.  I did perhaps tire of the expedient of having soloists step forward into their light to facilitate a scene change behind them but as quibbles go, it is a small one and again, at the risk of sounding like a broken record as I wend my way around District 3, with a team of this calibre and a wonderful theatre it would have been nice to see the youth theatre tackle something perhaps more worthy of their talents.  Of course, that is just personal taste and looking back at previous offerings from this society, it is refreshing to see such a wide spread of various productions, demonstrating their obvious commitment to bringing a range of different shows to the Hippodrome.  An  engaging and entertaining evening at the Hippodrome once again:  Keep up the good work!

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