Oozing seventies’ style and packed with classic tunes this latest stage musical version of the historic disco film Saturday Night Fever comes to Bristol for a short run. From the rousing opener, Stayin’ Alive, right through to the Disco Inferno end of the show the songs shine and the dancing dazzles. While the original film had an almost documentary feel to it the derivative stage shows focus more on the fun and entertainment.

The lead role of working-class Italian-American Tony Manero shot John Travolta to international fame. Here the part is played by accomplished dancer Richard Winsor. He puts in a solid performance and gives Tony as much life as possible. His dancing and strutting delight the audience, as does his bare chest. Stephanie Mangano is played by Kate Parr; she is the cool counterpart to the impulsive Tony. A social climber keen to get out of Brooklyn and up to Manhattan. We see the pair squabble, struggle and dance their way to romance. It’s not easy to stand out amongst the clothes, the moves and the songs but the cast do a creditable job. Some have prominent roles but it’s really the ensemble pieces that provide the highlights of this show. With ´The Bee Gees´ standing above and accompanied by a terrific live band the cast give it everything they´ve got in the coordinated dance routines; glitter balls light up the auditorium as the audience sings along. Raphael Pace, Michael Cortez, Jared Thomson and Owen Broughton play the members of Tony’s gang, adoring every move he makes. They are quick on the wisecracks and clever with the moves. Anna Campkin adds a bit of pathos as Annette and Marios Nicolaides provides a convincing stoical counterpoint as Tony’s brother, the priest in the family. Olivia Kate Holding shines amongst the dancers and plays sister Linda as well.

The stage version can’t hope to reproduce the depth and rough edges of the film but there is a little swearing and, if you look hard enough, you can detect some social realism in the back story of a young man trying to find his way in the world. His over protective mother(Melody Jones) and angry, unemployed father(Phillip Aiden) provide the fetters from which he escapes to the discotheque whenever he can. His straitlaced, laconic boss at the paint shop advises Tony to save a little and build a future, to which Tony gives a characteristically teenage retort: ‘The future is tonight!’ This is the narrative on which the music hangs and it’s difficult for the songs not to overshadow the other creative elements of the show. They are so familiar and popular that it would be easy to overlook the slick set changes, the subtle lighting and all the hard work that the creative team have put in to delivering this exhilarating and entertaining show.

★★★☆☆   Adrian Mantle    3^rd October 2018