Review: Flashdance – The Musical at Stourbridge Town Hall
I was asked, as I set out to review this show, how the Stourbridge Operatic Society handle the welding scene which was a significant feature of the original 1983 film.
The answer is that this is the Black Country where the welding is superb and a creatively managed opening sequence got this production off to an electric start.
However, the film was also about female empowerment and was very much of its time, with this subsequent adaptation rather jumping on the bandwagon for creating stage versions of iconic films. While successful on tour the show ran only sixteen weeks in the West End in 2010 and has now been released for amateur performance.
Mike Capri's production has much to commend it. The disciplined cast sing and dance with immense energy and enthusiasm and the great routines of the film, Maniac, Gloria and Flashdance—What a Feeling, are successfully delivered. Anna Forster, as 18 year-old welding-apprentice Alex by day and flashdancer by night- but who wants to train at a classical dance academy, shows great talent in the lead role.
There's excellent support from David Gregory as posh boss Nick Hurley and Julia Tromans as her mother Hannah.
Though the plot has been given a darker edge there is little character development and some of the acting does appear to be rather stereo-typed. The orchestral arrangements also seem to be rather limited and, although well-played, lacked the punch of full pit-orchestra.
Runs until Saturday.
By Jerald Smith
