Fame - Tour

Well, this was a very pleasant surprise. I went to the Palace in Manchester without any real expectations but had a ball. This is up there with Little Shop of Horrors as Selladoor's best production for me.

Vocally, the cast are sensational. I was absolutely blown away by the powerhouse delivery of a terrific score. Some serious talent on that stage and not a weak link among them.

It's very much an ensemble show but Stephanie Rojas (previously in In The Heights) is outstanding as Carmen. Great work from Molly McGuire too as Serena and Jamal Kane Crawford as Tyrone. Jorgie Porter dances beautifully. The integration of the band (a small number of actor musicians) worked well.

The energy of the company combined with Nick Winston’s stunning choreography made Fame an absolute treat. Very slick for the first preview at the start of a year-long tour to celebrate the show's 30-year anniversary. This could well turn out to be the definitive production.

The full standing ovation at the end was well deserved. I've booked to see it again later this week.

Five stars.

He certainly makes it sound more appealing, but it is that shortage of good tunes and anything happening that made Fame a snooze for me.

The ATG card half price offer helped swing it, so you’re not solely responsible. £16 for 6th Row Center stalls, bargain!

Well first impressions count and I am an absolute sucker for shows that capitalize on the time from house open to curtain up. Shows like Bat out of Hell with its disconcertingly eerie postapocalyptic soundtrack and Phantom with its opulent auction scene on show, setting the scene whilst the audience take their seats. Fame makes the most of this opportunity with a birdseye view of a cab between two skyscrapers on show to the soundtrack of city traffic and hubbub which swells with the sound of the underground and other traffic noise into a climax to start the show. I was fooled by the preset scene into thinking the show might start off with some taxi movement, a bit like the car chase in Groundhog Day, but unfortunately this never materialised and the scene flew out never to be seen again. I spent parts of the show wonderning what the taxi was all about, how it was anchored to the show (if i it was supposed to be) and why but then in the Finale of the show 3 mini cabs came crashing in from the flys and spend the duration of the Fame Reprise bouncing, haphazardly, up and down the full height of the stage. Creased. Not only because one hit one of the cast on the head, but because of the randomness of it. Once I'd managed to regain composure I lost it again as a hand crept around the proscenium stage right and switched the head lights of on one. Howling. Otherwise, the set is good and production standards are great. But the taxis, awful.

The last time I saw Fame do the rounds I was a little youth, many years ago in Llandudno. I couldn't quite recall what happened in the show before todays performance and that would probably be because not much does. The plot is paper thin and the book even thinner. This works in the casts advantage however, as it means they have to work that bit harder to win the audience and keep them invested. They succeeded in doing so for today's matinee and to all extents and purpose you wouldn't know this show is still in previews. There is no weak link on stage but Mica Paris absolutely stole the show with 'These are my Children'. An absolute powerhouse with a belting performance, worthy of the ticket price alone.

This isn't Chekov or Stanislavski, but if you want a good couple of hours showcasing some very strong emerging and established talent, check it out.

Stop it, because if I go and it’s terrible I shall hunt the pair of you down! 😂

If you are interested to see this or go back for a return visit then make sure to enter our competition to win two tickets to the show at a venue of your choice! You can also win tickets to Madagascar!

ENTER HERE

I’d assumed that it was at least an arena tour, not just Liverpool...how odd. A good spread of people from across the series, including the lovely Nia Peebles.

How fantastic that fans have been able to organise that. And for a great cause. Hope it’s a huge success! 

The first 10 or so minutes of The One Show on Wednesday 5 September are worth a watch on iPlayer for more on the Liverpool concert.

Yesterday?

Yes it was on Wednesday's show. I love the first Kids From Fame album. Desdamona, I Still Believe. I even like Lori Singer trying to sing note in tune in Its Gonna Be A Long Night.

Phew, just the conference centre, not the ginormo arena. Was a bit worried...good luck to them!

This has announced a run in London following the tour, playing at the Peacock Theatre. Tickets on general sale from October.

I think that is a bit of stretch to call it a West End run. The Peacock is not what most people would consider to be a West End theatre.