REVIEW | Dreamgirls UK Tour

★★★★

Reviewer - RONI

Christmas is all about the glitz and the glam, so what better way to kickstart the festivities than with a trip to see the magnificent Dreamgirls?! Arriving in Birmingham for a 4 week run on the second to last stop of its first-ever UK tour, Dreamgirls is bringing all of the soul and pizazz you could wish for to warm you up this winter.

The show tells the tale of The Dreamettes, a Black girl group from Chicago comprised of Lorelle, Deena and frontwoman Effie, hoping to make it big in the music world. After a difficult start, they meet Curtis Taylor Jr., a car salesman who convinces the girls to make him their manager. Following a whirlwind tour as backup singers for R&B star Jimmy Early, Curtis lands the girls their own show, but rebrands them as ‘The Dreams’, and places Deena as the lead over Effie. An outraged Effie, who has been in a relationship with Curtis, proceeds to cause a scene and stop turning up for performances until Curtis ultimately cuts her from the group. Years later, we see a more mature Effie launching her own successful music career, and helping the disillusioned Deena break free from the controlling Curtis to live out her own dreams.

Tim Hatley’s set design for this production is absolutely breathtaking. We are flung from backstage at dreary clubs into the full-blown spotlight, complete with shimmery backdrops and eye-catching neon lights. Hatley’s costume design is also a delight, and The Dreams outfits are the stuff of, well, dreams. Everything screams ‘60’s showbiz’, and it’s a style that sticks with us right in and puts us at the heart of the action. Casey Nicholaw is both director and choreographer as the touring show is lifted straight from the West End production that closed in 2019, and his vision really pays off. The moves feel slick, and the staging only adds to the storytelling. Some moments are lacking a little energy, but it doesn’t detract too much from the overall enjoyment of the show.

There are barely enough words to sum up the incredible cast on display here. It speaks volumes that one of the more striking musical numbers of the show is ‘It’s All Over’, which features near enough all of the principal cast. Paige Peddie brings a loveable cheesiness to Lorelle that has us cheering her on when she finally gives Jimmy his what for, while Natalie Kassanga’s Deena is such equal parts nervous ingénue and later, steadily determined woman that you can’t help but feel proud as she walks out of Curtis’ clutches. A special mention must go to Brandon Lee Sears, whose vocals as Jimmy Early are more than worthy of a place in the charts, and to Matt Mills, who had us believing in Curtis’ bad side but delivering it with a voice as smooth as butter. If this man ever wanted a role as a certain Virginian founding father, he’d, er, have my vote. But the standout performance of the show is of course the incomparable Nicole Raquel Dennis as Effie White. Even while recovering from illness, Nicole gives what you would believe is the performance of a lifetime, except for the fact she’s been touring all year. Her presentation of the diva side of Effie is flawless, to the point where she becomes almost unlikeable. All is forgiven, however, as we break into the showstopping ‘And I Am Telling You’. Nicole’s vocals are unbelievable, and her ability to emote whilst remaining pitch-perfect is jaw-dropping, a sentiment echoed by the rapturous standing ovation she received lasting into the interval. Someone call the structural engineers, because I’m not sure there’s a roof left on the building after that.

Overall, this show is simply sublime. With just the right amount of dazzling, you’ll be leaving with stars in your eyes, and those powerhouse vocals ringing in your ears. This is definitely one to catch as a fun-filled Christmas treat.

Dreamgirls is playing at The Alexandra, Birmingham until December 31, 2022. You can find further booking information on the website.

*Disclaimer: AD | Gifted Tickets