Footloose, Pitlochry Festival Theatre Review

The cast of Footloose - photo by Fraser Band.

Written by Kathryn for Theatre & Tonic

Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review.

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This year we celebrate 40 years of the hit film Footloose and what better way to mark the anniversary than taking a trip to Pitlochry for the latest production of the stage musical, co-produced by Pitlochry Festival Theatre and the New Wolsey Theatre.

We join Ren (Luke Wilson) and his mother Ethel (Nina Kristofferson) as they arrive in the small farming town of Bomont. Ren soon realises things in Bomont are very different from the home they’ve left in Chicago, with the town council, led by Reverend Shaw Moore (Robin Simpson) imposing a number of rules on the local community, including a ban on dancing. With the help of Ariel (Kirsty Findlay), the Reverend’s rebellious daughter, and Willard (Luke Thornton), a local lad who finds dancing a bit of a challenge, Ren convinces the Reverend to let the teens dance and helps the town heal in more ways than one.

The show features a combination of top 80s hits and original songs that were certainly popular with the audience. The music was played live on stage by the cast who seamlessly switched between performing character roles and playing a variety of instruments throughout the performance. It was really something to watch and added a whole new immersive element to the experience.

The cast as a whole gave very strong performances and I especially enjoyed Elizabeth Rowe’s leading vocals in the pop classic “Let’s Hear It for the Boy”.

Footloose is a story of friendship and love that also highlights themes of grief, cultural censorship and youth rebellion. It’s a classic story that has been given the opportunity to be reawakened in a new production that keeps the essence of the story loved by many even 40 years after its original telling.

Footloose runs at Pitlochry Festival Theatre as part of their summer season on select dates until 26 September. This production can also be seen at New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich from 3-26 October.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆