Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at York Opera House Review
Photography provided by York Stage.
Inspired by a BBC Three documentary, Jamie: Drag Queen at 16, Everybody's Talking About Jamie is the coming-of-age story focussed around young Jamie New who has big dreams and ambitions of becoming a Drag Queen. Set in Sheffield, Jamie must figure out how to navigate his sexuality whilst at school and most importantly, how to walk to in a pair of red high heels!
Even though the show is approaching its ten-year anniversary, premiering at Sheffield Crucible in 2017, the show still feels fresh and is just as relevant today, highlighting issues that still occur in 2026. York Stage’s production of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie fits right at home at Grand Opera House York, with a warm Yorkshire audience ready to receive. York Stage features a mix of professional and amateur performers, whilst heavily promoting local talent, creating a hybrid blend on stage. There were no first night nerves here however, as the Year 11 students burst onto stage with energy and gusto, supported by an enthusiastic audience of family and friends, whooping and cheering.
After the opening number, which is set in a classroom, the set unexpectedly revolves to reveal two other playing spaces. This clever technique is then used throughout to swap between different locations and allowed spaces to double up and be cleverly redressed unbeknownst to the audience. It is, however, a real shame to see what appears to be AI generated artwork being used on stage, as even with budget restraints, this should never be an option in a creative industry and is a real disappointment.
If you have seen the show before, there are a few new ideas from Nik Briggs’ direction to keep you entertained, but a lot of the original show’s direction remains untouched. Personally, I’ve always had an issue with the end of Act 1, which sees Jamie debut his drag persona in front of a live audience. This moment unfortunately still falls flat, as the build-up to this incredible milestone in Jamie New’s life needs be celebrated more and I’ve always felt like the audience should be allowed in to witness this dramatic reveal.
The heart of the show remains the relationship between Jamie, played by the effervescent Frankie Bounds, and his mum Margaret, played by the warm Joanne Theaker. The scenes featuring them and Margaret’s best friend, Ray (Julie-Ann Smith), were not only comedy highlights, but gave true heart.
The role of Jamie New is no mean feat and Bounds doesn’t shy away from that as he grows with the character throughout, with quick-witted dialogue and a vocal that got stronger as the show progressed. However, the standout moment, was Margaret’s heartfelt ballad in Act 2 ‘He’s my Boy’ as Theaker’s powerhouse vocals soared through the auditorium, nailing that challenging Mother/Son dynamic that so many parents can relate to. It was also great to see Grant McIntyre as Hugo, which in the past has normally been a celebrity filled role with mixed results, who was able to use his wit and warmth to encourage a young Jamie, even if he didn’t have the best song to express this with.
Even though the Year 11 students’ enthusiasm is something to be celebrated, they were occasionally let down by a very loud band. Also, sound related issues with mic levels meant that a good handful of lyrics were missed. Hopefully these teething problems can be ironed out and I imagine the production will go from strength to strength as the run continues.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie runs at Grand Opera House York until 24th October 2026.
★★★
Written by David Kenley for Theatre and Tonic, October 2026.