SUMMARY

Rating: ★★★★

Running Dates: Tuesday 19th October - Saturday 23rd October 2021

Where to see it: Bristol Hippodrome (UK Tour) 

Duration: 2 hours 40 minutes (including 20 minute interval) 

Keywords: Musical, Friendship, Individuality, Drag 

REVIEW 

A story of friendship, love and celebrating individuality in the best way - Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is a masterclass in standing up for what you believe in and being true to yourself. 

Based on the true story of a boy whose ambition was to be a drag queen and attending the school prom in a dress, in a world where he was taunted at school for being gay and making adjustments to his school uniform to be more original. This flair for originality and colour is replicated in the Polly Pocket style of the set. The dreary world is shown with a basic grey set with hints of bright colours - and especially notable in the two opening songs for Act One and Two. 

Act One opened expertly with an explosion of life setting the scene at school with the opening number: ‘And You Don’t Even Know It’ - introducing us to the main character, Jamie, whose dreams of being a drag queen were set out for us, in a dreary world where the school’s career system had other ideas. 

What follows is the introduction of his best friend, Pritti, a booksmart girl creating a wonderful duo that is beautiful to watch develop throughout the show and the introduction of Shane Ritchie as Loco Chanelle who introduces Jamie to the wonderful world of drag and shining in the face of adversity. 

Act Two concretes the wonderful relationship between mother & son, with a special mention to Amy Ellen Richardson as Jamie’s Mum (Margaret New) who pulls at the heartstrings with an emotional rendition of ‘He’s My Boy’. Lots of sniffles in the audience after that number. 

The cast is led by Jamie New: Layton Williams - who showcases great vulnerability and confidence in the role. An absolute star who steals every scene he was in - rightfully so. Overall, this is a musical that is so uplifting and the entire audience was up on their feet for a standing ovation. It will leave you with a bounce in your step and some catchy songs that will remain in your head for a while. Ultimately, this is a story of overcoming advertising and one of love (whether that is friendship love or the love between a mother and son) that everybody can connect with on some level. 

Standout Quote or Moment: Lisa Marie Holmes as Ray giving the teacher a good telling off! The whole audience cheered!

See If: You enjoy a coming of age story championing inclusivity and accepting everyone's differences.

Similar Plays: Billy Elliot, Priscilla Queen of the Desert 

Last Impression: An explosion of colour and life showcasing the beautiful relationship between a mother and son. 

Written by Steph Clarke

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