Footloose: The Musical is playing at Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theatre for a strictly limited (and mostly sold out) season until June 1. By popular demand, new dates for July and August have been released.
Tickets and more information via footloosethemusical.com
Based on the 1984 film of the same name starring Kevin Bacon, Footloose the musical premiered on Broadway in October 1998. Despite its mixed critical reception, it was nominated for four Tony Awards and embarked on a UK national tour in 2004 before transferring to London’s West End.
With the book by Tom Snow and Walter Bobbie, the musical combines the 80s hits from the film’s soundtrack such as Holding Out For A Hero, Girl Gets Around, Let’s Hear It For The Boy, Somebody’s Eyes, Girl Gets Around, I’m Free (Heaven Helps The Man), Almost Paradise and the iconic title song, as well as original music by Snow and Jim Steinman (with additional music by Kenny Loggins, Sammy Hagar and Eric Carmen) and lyrics by Dean Pitchford.
Footloose tells the story of confident teenager Ren McCormack (Jarrod Moore) who moves from Chicago to small town Bomont, Utah with his mother Ethel (Emma Russell). When he discovers that Reverend Shaw Moore (Stephen Mahy) and the other adult townsfolk have banned dancing, Ren – along with his friend Willard Hewitt (Maverick Newman) and the reverend’s free-spirited daughter Ariel (Jordan Twigg) – attempts to overturn the ban.
Throughout history, dance has always been a powerful tool that has the ability for social change, express cultural identity, challenge norms and create community. Footloose touches on these universal themes, love and loss, and the courage it takes to create change from within.
I’d heard mixed reviews before attending, with many comparing this production to amateur theatre. And, although the Athenaeum isn’t as prestigious as the Princess, Her Majesty’s or Regent Theatres in Melbourne, it still comes with a certain quality expectation, especially when tickets exceed $69. So I can understand why many people think it missed the mark, even though I enjoyed it.
The quality is on par with David Venn’s previous directed and produced productions such as Cruel Intentions: The ‘90s Musical, Bring It On: The Musical, Elvis: A Musical Revolution and Love Actually: The Musical Parody, which were all performed at the Athenaeum also.
Its biggest issue is its sound. During Somebody’s Eyes and Still Rockin’ it was especially bad as I couldn’t make out any of the lyrics over the music. Additionally, some vocal cues were missed with actor’s mics dropping in and out of scenes and background ensemble turned up louder than the main cast. I sat to the left in the front row (CC) so maybe the issues with sound were only noticeable to those seated closer to the stage but I can’t be too sure. And maybe it was just an off night…?
The sound was perfect during the musical’s softer numbers such as Learning To Be Silent, Can You Find It In Your Heart/(Reprise), Almost Paradise and Heaven Help Me/(Reprise), and I found those to be the best. With more than a month of extra rehearsal time between its June 1 and July 25 dates, I imagine these issues will be fixed and the production tighter because of it.
Despite its problems, there’s still a lot to like.
Benjamin Cure and Dan Ham’s choreography is especially strong. Mama Says (You Can’t Back Down) perfectly captures Willard’s enthusiasm and confidence growth through dance. Somebody’s Eyes is also very good, enhanced by Tristan Miderhall and Rock It LX’s creative lighting design alongside Harry Gill’s minimal set design. Although layered and textured, the set is largely brown and beige which allows Kim Bishop’s colourful costumes to really pop, especially during Footloose (Finale) and Megamix.
Amongst the toe-tapping, energetic musical numbers, Footloose has its softer moments. It’s easy to empathise with Shaw and wife, Vi (Sophie Weiss), who not only struggle with the lost their young son due to a tragic accident but also the spark lost in their marriage. Accomplished performers Mahy and Weiss handle this complex material expertly. I found Mahy’s performance especially compelling. Having a young son himself, I have no doubt that he channelled his personal life as a father into his performance, even shedding a tear during the outstanding Heaven Help Me.
The very talented Newman was an obvious audience favourite, as was Maddison Coleman as Rusty. I’d been impressed with Coleman’s vocals in Urinetown, Guys & Dolls and Bare: The Stage Opera, so to see her in a larger production was a wonderful surprise. She’s given a lot of material to work with and her comedic timing shines alongside Newman, who deserves nothing but praise and a lot of laughter he is receiving.
I also quite liked Justin Gray’s performance as local bad boy, Chuck Cranston. Additionally, Moore is charming and charismatic as the musical’s leading man, and Twigg embodies the frustration of any repressed teen in her position. A talented ensemble rounds out the cast.
Footloose isn’t the best musical I’ve ever seen, nor is this production not without its issues, but I thought the music and performances were good (albeit sometimes drowned out by sound) and the ending both feel-good and uplifting – a welcome reprieve from the heavier themes in Hadestown, Jesus Christ Superstar, Lord of the Rings and Beetlejuice playing nearby.
3.5/5 STARS
TINSEL and TAP SHOES 
saw the show yesterday, ,moments of talent from Maverick and Coleman , but otherwise ,although all cast seemed to work hard , there was no SPARK! Some sound issues too, generally not up to Melbourne standards!
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