Post by marion on Aug 14, 2024 19:27:01 GMT
This is the first UK production of a show which was a massive hit in Australia. It is a musical about a group of schoolgirls who are obesessed with the lead singer, Harry, of a band who were put together on a talent show. So we are in One Direction territory here. Our heroine, Edna, is on a scholarship at a posh school and the news breaks that extra gigs are being put on in Sydney. One rich pupil, Jools, agrees to get extra tickets for her friends but then decides to cut out Edna. So what can Edna do except kidnap Harry?
Now, I thought this might be a good chance to see something at Lyric prices before it goes to the West End, but honestly it really isn’t that great. It is energetically performed but it goes for too long (90 minutes without an interval would have been better) and whilst at times amusing it misses what could have been strong points on teenage angst and self-acceptance, well until the last song. Harry thinks Edna wants to be involved with him but then she starts on about how depressed he is and how she is trying to release him from the constraints of the band, the image and the brand, but really that seemed to come from nowhere.
I couldn’t make out a lot of what they were singing, and this is a small theatre. The casting was also extremely gender diverse and I felt that some of it may have been a box ticking exercise. Usually this doesn’t bother me at all but the trans/non binary castings here did seem to have exaggerated acting which didn’t suit 14 year old schoolgirls. Having said that, the trans actor playing Jools is very established and was extremely well received.
I am obviously not in the target demographic and the full audience (multi aged) generally went mad for the show. I was sitting next to a lady who told me her job had been to assess musical theatre teaching in schools and she reckoned she saw better productions doing that, so I suppose if you just go for a laugh it is OK but if you are looking for a cracking production this won’t appeal so much. I was expecting to see something as good as Six, Heathers or even Cruel Intentions, but it wasn’t as good as those. I would give it 2 stars, but many would give it 5. Indeed when we were treated to an excerpt from the concert given by “”Heartbreak Nation” (IIRC) they had their phones out with the lights on, swaying away, 😂
Now, I thought this might be a good chance to see something at Lyric prices before it goes to the West End, but honestly it really isn’t that great. It is energetically performed but it goes for too long (90 minutes without an interval would have been better) and whilst at times amusing it misses what could have been strong points on teenage angst and self-acceptance, well until the last song. Harry thinks Edna wants to be involved with him but then she starts on about how depressed he is and how she is trying to release him from the constraints of the band, the image and the brand, but really that seemed to come from nowhere.
I couldn’t make out a lot of what they were singing, and this is a small theatre. The casting was also extremely gender diverse and I felt that some of it may have been a box ticking exercise. Usually this doesn’t bother me at all but the trans/non binary castings here did seem to have exaggerated acting which didn’t suit 14 year old schoolgirls. Having said that, the trans actor playing Jools is very established and was extremely well received.
I am obviously not in the target demographic and the full audience (multi aged) generally went mad for the show. I was sitting next to a lady who told me her job had been to assess musical theatre teaching in schools and she reckoned she saw better productions doing that, so I suppose if you just go for a laugh it is OK but if you are looking for a cracking production this won’t appeal so much. I was expecting to see something as good as Six, Heathers or even Cruel Intentions, but it wasn’t as good as those. I would give it 2 stars, but many would give it 5. Indeed when we were treated to an excerpt from the concert given by “”Heartbreak Nation” (IIRC) they had their phones out with the lights on, swaying away, 😂