Saturday Night Fever

The stage musical Saturday Night Fever is a high-energy adaptation of the iconic 1977 film, bringing the disco era vividly to life through music, dance, and drama and Chris Cuming’s production for West Bromwich Operatic Society had all three in abundance.  This innovative production set in 1970s Brooklyn, was a joy from start to finish. The story follows ‘Tony Manero’, brilliantly portrayed by Olly Derham showing tremendous talent as an actor, singer and dancer, a restless young man stuck in a dead-end job, who escapes the frustrations of his everyday life at the local disco. There, he is transformed into a confident, admired figure on the dance floor. When a dance competition is announced, ‘Tony’ partners with the ambitious ‘Stephanie Mangano’, played by Harriet Hommers with tremendous energy and style, and their rehearsals set the scene for both personal growth and tension, forcing Tony to confront his values, relationships, and future.

There are some great supporting roles, all of whom not only were an integral part of the action but also very deftly and efficiently negotiated all the set and prop changes seamlessly, choreographed to perfection with excellent timing. We have ‘Tony’s’ mates – ‘Bobby’, Luke Hardy, ‘Double-J’, Connor Welch, ‘Joey’, Theo Pitter and ‘Gus’ Alex Brown – who played expertly off each other with endless enthusiasm and great humour. Tony’s family – all stock Italian stereotypes but achieved consistently: Greg Yates as ‘Frank Manero’, ‘Tony’s’ father, Sarah Moors as ‘Flo Manero’, as his mother, Dan Smith as ‘Frank Jr’, his brother who failed to pursue a career as a priest, and Eva-Grace Mahay as ‘Linda Manero’, ‘Tony’s little sister - all providing a mixture of humour, pathos and tough love. Amy Sandford as ‘Candy’, the Disco Singer had a great voice used to tremendous effect, Lyndon Flavell as ‘Monty’ the DJ, ‘Annette’ played by Holly White and ‘Stephanie’s’ love rival, ‘Pauline’ played by Jess Smith, another friend, all contributed to this iconic story which moved along at a frightening pace, adding to the enjoyment of the evening.  Other parts were played by Tim Jones, Beth Logan, Martyn Davies, Chloe Lowe, Jacob Yeomans and Isobel Checketts.

The plot goes beyond its glittering surface to explore themes of identity, ambition, and disillusionment. ‘Tony’s’ journey is shaped by his struggles at home, where he feels overshadowed by his successful brother, and by the limited opportunities available in his working-class environment. As the competition approaches, ‘Tony’ begins to question not only his own abilities but also his attitudes, particularly towards women and friendship. The climax of the story—where ‘Tony’ recognises the unfairness of the competition—marks a turning point, leading to a more hopeful and mature outlook. The incredible dance numbers were thoroughly thrilling to watch and joyously appreciated by the audience, constantly shouting for more! The choreography was awe inspiring, designed by Claire Flavell, who was also the Assistant Director for the production.

Music is at the heart of the production, under the watchful eye of Ian Room who achieved tremendous musical moments driven by the unforgettable hits of the Bee Gees and other disco classics. Songs such as “Stayin’ Alive,” “Night Fever,” and “You Should Be Dancing” balancing upbeat disco numbers with more reflective songs.

The action on stage was complemented on stage by a superb set of various levels of scaffolding providing a home for Ian Room and the Band but also a tremendous almost living backdrop to the action as they became part of the set by being there. Incredible lighting and sound is an absolute must for this show and this was provided by Pete Watts who not only designed this amazing set but was also responsible for the lighting design -  a great talent and executed by Live LX. Sound was in the capable hands of Drew White assisted by Emma Nicholas. The 1970’s look was achieved via some fabulous costumes made by Jan Cole and Wigs, Hair and Make Up by Paul Herrington-Hurley and very authentic Props from Chris Harrison, Jen McKinnon, Mark McKinnon and Graham Quinn.

This was a tremendous evening’s musical theatre – a complete joy.  My thanks to everyone at West Bromwich Operatic Society for their kind invitation and their generous hospitality.

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