Fame, the Musical
Oxford Apollo, until 4th January 2003

If, like me, you have somehow managed to miss any exposure whatsoever to 'Fame, the musical', other than to its universally known theme, then it is high time you did something about it, and this is definitely the way to break-in any 'Fame virgins' who might be lurking this Christmas. The show follows the fortunes of a group of students at the New York High School of Performing Arts and, set at the beginning of the 1980s this has all the cheesy singing, dancing, legwarmers and hopes for immortality that you could expect or indeed hope for. From the very first moment, the pure energy it exudes grabs the attention. In fact, the *first* thing to grab you is the staging which, although simple, works beautifully, complemented by the superb lighting design - dramatic in ensemble dances, delightfully kitsch at the height of the 1980s nausea, and climaxing in a wild disco frenzy of fame-school delight for the final number. Yet this can only complement the talented and rather beautiful cast as they leap, pirouette and pas de deux their way through the performance, creating a slick and sassy performance which will leave you, at the very least, wishing you could dance.

For much of the first act, I was, however, less than convinced - not by the production, but by the musical itself, which in places seemed somewhat dated. Songs like 'Can't Keep It Down', sung by Puerto Rican lothario Jo (Ben Heathcote), about his rather unfortunate reaction to a particular female, just don't have the same effect as when this musical was first performed. Similarly, the peculiar decision to turn up the already-over-amplified Tyrone (played by understudy Lewis Davis) for his rap led to a slightly deafening and almost totally incoherent rendition of what I suspect should have been a powerful comment on the situation of black Americans in 1980s New York. Even the toe-tapping favourite of 'Fame!' itself was disappointing, with Yasmin Kadi's otherwise splendid portrayal of the ill-fated Carmen Diaz marred by slightly weak rendition of this central number.

Yet 'Fame' isn't just about feel-good song and dance, and the thing that really makes this show work is the realism of the characters, as they struggle with distinctly non-musical problems such as illiteracy, drug abuse and, of course, the usual traumas of adolescent love. Although a strong cast, deserving of special mention are, among others, Melanie La Barrie as Miss Sherman, who with her gutsy rendition of 'These are My Children' shows that talent and experience can count for much more than an ability to look good in hotpants. Among the students, Julie Atherton as Serena Katz, and Leigh-Anne Stone as the cookie-munching Mabel Washington, also turned in powerful performances.

Perhaps the most special mention, however, must go to the rather pleased looking member of the technical crew who made his entrance in a yellow taxi, in the midst of the grand finale. If ever a man looked happier amongst sweaty dancing-girls, I'd be surprised. This is a show to bring smiles to Christmas time. Gather your friends, and go see what all the fuss is about.

Rebecca Smith