Fame (National Youth Music Theatre) at Birmingham Hippodrome Review
Written by Charis for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
The National Youth Music Theatre (NYMT) is bringing three exciting productions to the Birmingham Hippodrome this August to showcase young talent and push the boundaries of music theatre. Kicking off this exciting season of work is Fame. The classic musical follows the final class of students at New York City's High School for the Performing Arts as they navigate their aspirations, relationships, and personal growth over the four-year period. Set between 1980 and 1984, based on the film of the same name.
Fame requires a lot of high energy, which could be found within the piece. However, at points, especially at the start, it came across as cheesy, but the piece did improve as the performance developed with the actors settling into their respective roles.
Most of the solo and duet performances were effective and well-executed. However, the ensemble numbers tended to feel cluttered, with the sheer number of voices on stage causing the harmonies to suffer. In the earlier ensemble pieces, the choreography appeared somewhat disorganized, though this improved significantly by the end of the performance. “Bring on Tomorrow” stood out as the strongest ensemble number. That said, some solo lines within the group pieces were occasionally lost in the background sound, making them hard to distinguish.
The solo and duet performances stood out as some of the highlights of the piece, with special praise for Adam Byrne as Jose Vegas performing “Can’t Keep it Down,” which added great humor, and Holly Dack as Serena Katz performing “Let’s Play A Love Scene,” which, both as a solo and in duet with Lucas Shirtcliffe as Nick Piazza, were the most memorable moments. Dack and Shirtcliffe displayed strong, undeniable chemistry, making them perfect choices for their roles.
Other notable mentions in this performance must go to Kyle McAlister as Schlomo Metzenbaum, who portrayed the struggle of children trying to find their own place against the legacy of their parents, and Uzuazo O’David as Tyrone Jackson, showing the disadvantage of being “out of place” through race, class, and educational differences.
Designer Jason Denvir did a superb job with the set design chosen. It was certainly believable that the stage was a 1980s school with the bright coloured lockers, feeling creative yet in place. The inclusion of glowing lockers during one of the songs and other lighting choices, courtesy of lighting designer Jamie Platt, added deeply to the atmosphere. Costume supervisor Jenni Mannion also chose era-correct clothing, which showcased the characters and their backstories well.
The strongest element of the piece was the orchestra, with their live performances adding a dynamic energy to the performance and capturing an ambience that truly drove the piece forward.
Fame plays at Birmingham Hippodrome until 9 August
★ ★ ★
