'What A Feeling'! As Flashdance Comes To Wimbledon


Review: 'Flashdance - The Musical'

You can't fault the energy of the entire 'Flashdance' cast as they bring the lively musical, based on the 1980s dance movie, to New Wimbledon Theatre.

'Flashdance – The Musical', which runs at Wimbledon to Saturday (October 7) stars Strictly Come Dancing favourite Joanne Clifton and former boyband member Ben Adams.

The two play daytime welder/night-time dancer Alex Owens and Nick Hurley, her rich-kid boss.

While there's not much to the plot, centred on Alex and Nick's romance and her ambition to attend the top local dance academy, we're here to enjoy the music and dancing.

Much of the dancing is certainly breathtaking and acrobatic. The music is also terrific - and when it's so central to the show, it's a shame we didn't get a glimpse of George Carter's band until the very end.

But there's something about the production that didn't quite catapult me back to the 1980s days of legwarmers and discos when the original 'Flashdance' movie became a global sensation.

The love story between Alex and Nick also wasn't entirely convincing. They were both capable singers and dancers - but the exhuberance I was hoping to see wasn't quite there.

I wasn't suprised by a set involving a lot of scaffolding, in an attempt to recreate the feeling of a welding yard. But I was a bit puzzled about why the conversion to a nightclub had to involve so many bright lights that many members of the audience had to shade their eyes.

Still, when the score includes the hits Maniac, Manhunt, Gloria, I Love Rock & Roll and the title track Flashdance - What a Feeling, you can't stop yourself from clapping along in time. I was just sorry the show didn't have quite the 'wow' factor I was hoping for, but it was a pleasant enough couple of hours.

'Flashdance - The Musical' is at New Wimbledon Theatre until Saturday (October 7). You can book at www.flashdanceuktour.co.uk.

By Sue Choularton 

October 4, 2017

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Flashdance on stage in Wimbledon

Joanne Clifton and Ben Adams