SHAFTESBURY THEATRE

Great night out: for lovers of dance and fans of the film and 80's chic

Best bit: the start of the second half, watch your shoulder on the balconies!

With Ghost coming to the West End next year and Dirty Dancing having wowed audiences in the past it appears there is an appetite for retro eighties movies to be given the West End treatment. Particularly in the case of Flashdance - The Musical as it has the added bonus of having been a certain hit on a tour of the UK in 2008.

The main plot follows Alex Owens, a working class teenager from Pittsburgh, who is a steel worker by day but come nightfall she rips up the dancefloor in a local club performing daring routines with her friends, dreaming of landing her big break in the dance world. Competing with this story are sub-plots revolving her love interest with Nick Hurley, the newly installed head of the steel plant, who is battling to keep the company afloat, and the lives of Gloria and Jimmy Kaminsky, friends of hers who begin to make the wrong choices as they seek to achieve the same dreams as she does.

All this makes for a packed couple of hours and this is one of the problems with the production because it is only until after the interval when the plots begin to thicken, often far too quickly, begging the question as to why the central plot couldn't have been stretched out better from the start.

The answer lies with the dancing. One mustn't forget that we're watching a dance-focused show so the extremely talented cast get the chance to show the audience what they're made of. This is the main strength of the show, none more so than in the second half when lead Victoria Hamilton-Barratt performs one of the most memorable dances from the film. After the interval the dancing and singing sequences link the show nicely, moving the plot on, but the same can't be said for the first half when they function as mini-breaks from the story making the attendee wonder what the point of the piece was.

Another minor gripe is the score, which doesn't quite match the heights of those leaping about on the boards. The original tracks and lyrics leave a lot to be desired, however a few 80's classics are included that ensure this aspect of Flashdance doesn't completely disappoint. Indeed at this reviewer's performance there was plenty of audience interaction when classics like 'What A Feelin' are belted out.

Critics of the show have noted that the famous shower scene, where Alex dances raunchily under a shower in the club, is shorter than in the film and this is certainly true, what they can't deny though is that the production doesn't hold back in the second half on the raunchier aspects of the film. Parents with children under 12 would be well-advised to look elsewhere for a show as following the interval adult themes burst to the forefront of the plot. This doesn't detract from how well these sections are staged with top notch direction matched by excellent performing.

Where the first half saunters, the second half moves breathlessly from one plot to the next with former Busted star Matt Willis playing an increasingly prominent role. He is convincing as a lead but his voice isn't quite powerful enough for the stage and there is a lingering impression that he's a bit too clean-cut and boyish looking to carry off the role assigned him. This is a minor criticism though as he plays his character well, considering it his West End debut.

The stars of the show are Alex and her friends who add plenty of energy, humour and no little skill to the production. Time and again the question begs, how on earth do they manage to sing so well while performing incredible moves. It's no coincidence that the best scenes involve the trio, while Hamilton-Barratt plays the role of Alex brilliantly, injecting a real gutsiness and passion that leads the show effectively after the interval.

Another success is the direction and stage design which is consistently inventive and eye-catching. The continued use of live video feeds, projected onto the backdrop, is visually effective and adds depth to the sections for which ithey are used. The design, costumes and overall look reflects the film and era well and are a definite hit. Overall Flashdance is definitely worth checking out for the choreography, the performances of the principals and the unashamed homage to classic 80s tunes. It's just a shame it takes a while to get going and flash into action.

Review Date: October 11th 2010