The cast of FOOTLOOSE UK Tour 2022. Photo Credit: Mark Senior
Colourful, high-energy and driven by a strong cast performance, FOOTLOOSE successfully transports the audience back to the 1980s.
80s fever is back in Manchester, as smash-hit musical FOOTLOOSE comes to town. The colourful, high-energy show has the audience dancing in the aisles to hits such as HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO, LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOY and, of course, FOOTLOOSE.
Based on the 1987 cult film starring Kevin Bacon, FOOTLOOSE follows the story of city boy Ren McCormack (Joshua Hawkins), who leaves the windy city of Chicago to relocate to the rural town Bomont – a prudish town ravaged by tragedy, whose laws allow for little teenage expression or excitement.
In Bomont, dancing is banned, much to the chagrin of Ren, who takes it upon himself to win over his peers and convince the town to change their ways. He faces a rather large obstacle in Reverend Shaw Moore (Day), who leads the town council in both opinion and spirituality, and finds himself falling for the Reverend’s daughter, Ariel.
The cast of FOOTLOOSE UK Tour 2022. Photo Credit: Mark Senior
This touring production stars big names such as Jake Quickenden (Dancing on Ice, Hollyoaks, Dreamboys) and Darren Day (Hollyoaks, Doctors, Holby). The cast has a great ensemble feel, with many of them playing multiple roles, allowing for the relatively small cast to feel much larger.
Much of the comedy comes from the pairing of Willard (Quickenden) and Rusty (Oonagh Cox), their blooming love interest providing multiple comedic and heartfelt moments, as they too try to break free from the shackles of the town. The pair are brilliant. Quickenden stands out in the feel-good jaunt MAMA SAYS, whilst Cox has the audience whooping with her joyful rendition of LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOY.
As expected, the show has plenty of big moments to get the audience going, from the boys playing the guitar whilst jumping a skipping rope to the somewhat inevitable reveal in HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO – no spoilers here! Equally, the set, props and costumes make sure we are transported back in time, with disco pants, roller skates and scrunchies all making an appearance.
The cast of FOOTLOOSE UK Tour 2022. Photo Credit: Mark Senior
Music plays a huge role throughout, with cast members playing instruments on stage, usually in quick succession. All instruments are integrated nicely into the show, and the choreography and the skeletal nature of the set allows the audience to see whenever another actor takes over an instrument. For her centre-stage saxophone and later flute solos, a special mention must go to Geri Allen as Ethel.
Another strong point of the performance is the building of relationships throughout. It is especially nice to see the development between Quickenden and Hawkins, from strangers almost fighting to friends with a solid bond at the end. Hawkins is a wonderfully likeable leading man, his comedic timing and strong vocals nicely juxtaposed by his soul-bearing scene with the Reverend. His performance is every bit as sparkling as his final-number shoes.
Of course, minor hiccups do occur in such a technically busy show. Mic issues prevent the performance from being flawless, but the cast vocals are solid enough to cope. In particular, Lucy Munden as Ariel has a lovely tone to her mid-range, while Cox provides awe-inspiring high notes throughout.
Finally, Matt Cole’s choreography deserves mention for keeping the energy high and ensuring the audience are hooked, letting them build and build before the megamix finale finally allows them to cut loose (Footloose!).
FOOTLOOSE runs at the Opera House, Manchester, until 5 March 2022.
Michael is a working actor. He studied Drama at Edge Hill University and his main passions are music, sport and acting. Alongside acting, Michael DJs around Manchester and, if not there, is usually found watching football or cricket!
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