Ultimate love story to remember - An Officer and a Gentleman musical a hit at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

You can definitely feel the eighties vibes at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre this week as the musical version of much loved 1982 movie An Officer and a Gentleman is sweeping audiences off their feet.

It’s another triumph from director Nikolai Foster who definitely has the knack of reinventing classic stories, whether they be from the big screen, small screen or novels, and adapting them for today's needs without losing the feel of the original.

A touring musical like this will no doubt attract fans of the movie starring Richard Gere and Debra Winger and whom would not normally go to a theatre. It is which is an excellent way of enticing more and more people to stretch their minds creatively and perhaps then they will return to see a different genre in the future.

Let’s face it the storyline is dark and gritty and explores some subjects now deemed controversial and is of course very sad in parts. But, we all know it has a very happy ending which was one of the most iconic movie moments of the decade, so stick with it, because it is worth waiting for.

The script is typically American sleaze with a smattering of bad language and rather poorly written, which meant that the cast had difficulty delivering the lines in a natural believable manner.

However,the performances are outstanding and the show is exceptionally well cast, given that there were some big shoes to fill given the cast in the movie.

Luke Baker was the ultimate troubled and tormented naval officer recruit, Zack Mayo, with excellent stage presence and dramatic skills.

Julia Jones took the leading lady role of Paula on the evening, grabbing the opportunity with both hands to make her mark. The chemistry between the couple was palpable and their scenes together were highlights of the show.

Paul French gave a stand out performance as Zack’s buddy, Sid, and together with Sinead Long as his girlfriend Lynette, gave some of the strongest vocal performances of the evening, and also brought some light relief to the proceedings, despite a sad end to their partnership near the end of Act Two. Apologies for the spoiler.

Miss Long certainly demands attention and her performance of “Material Girl” was another standout moment.

However, the dramatic performance of the night must surely go to Jamal Kane Crawford as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley, who dominated the stage with his presence and dark humour. Not quite the villain, but almost.

The vocal performances of the whole cast were outstanding, as they tackled the 1980s pop score with ease, though some songs did feel a little unnecessarily over sung with complex runs and variations on the originals.

That said, the songs were nostalgic and included some absolute classics including 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun', 'Kids in America', 'I Was Made for Loving You', 'I Want to Know What Love Island' of course, the ultimate 80s rock number, 'The Final Countdown', all delivered by a small but excellent band under the musical supervision of Christopher Duffy.

The opening of Act Two, 'Livin’ on a Prayer' completely brought the house down and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house as the strains of the intro to 'Up Where We Belong' began.

Although the scenery is dull and minimal, the staging is imaginative and slick and the show moves from scene to scene seamlessly thanks to the use of large props and trucks moved by the cast.

Joanna Goodwin’s choreography does not really depict the era, but instead is edgy and quite unique, and the clever use of dance moves in the military scenes is inspired.

Fans of the film will no doubt be delighted, as the show runs very true to the original, and if you are new to the storyline, go with an open mind.

For tickets visit grandtheatre.co.uk or call 01902 429212. An Officer and a Gentleman runs until Saturday.