Theatre Royal Bath has done it AGAIN! Their revival of Saturday Night Fever, in association with Robert Stigwood, is phenomenal. Breathtaking. Stunning!
The date is 1976 and in New York, Tony Manero, a young man from a tough Brooklyn neighbourhood with a dead-end job and an extraordinary ability to dance, has only one ambition in life – to become the disco king. Every Saturday night, Tony dons his flares and hits the dance floor, creating a stir as he wows the crowds with his phenomenal moves and routines. When he meets Stephanie, who also dreams of a world beyond Brooklyn, and they decide to train together for a dance competition, their lives begin to change forever.
Ryan McBryde’s creative vision and direction has stripped this musical back to its gritty, pre John Travolta, roots. This coming of age story is raw and fresh and as relevant now as in the decade of disco, when it is set. The original and classic Bee Gee’s discography score has be superbly reinvented by Musical Supervisor, Paul Herbert, making it contemporary and more relevant to the storyline and modern audiences, in an Ed Sheeran, Jessie Jay and Sam Smith style, while remaining true to the original genius. Simon Kenny’s brilliant design cleverly incorporates movie projections on a simplistic and functional set to bring the stage to life as the action seamlessly glides from scene to scene. All this is topped off with Andrew Wright’s delicious choreography, which fuses classic ballroom with iconic disco that is perfectly executed by the unbelievably talented cast of actor musicians.
Danny Bayne absolutely nails the lead role of the anti-hero, Tony Manero, giving the performance of a lifetime with his honest characterisation, awesome vocals and dynamic moves! Naomi Slights is a wonderfully captivating match as his muse and love interest, Stephanie and Bethany Linsdell is equally endearing as Annette, the victim of Tony’s unrequited affections. Every single person in the cast is truly amazing, without exception, as they showcase their wealth of talent across all of the performing disciplines. CiCi Howells has to be mentioned for her powerhouse vocals, as the Club Singer, that were hauntingly woven through the protagonists journey of self realisation.
This is musical theatre at its best! Make sure you see this production. It runs at Malvern Theatres until Saturday before continuing on the UK tour. ★★★★★ Rob Holcroft 06/02/15
