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A review from 5D Music & Theatre writer Maria Robertson
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Advertised as the stars of this musical are Aston Merrygold playing Willard and Darren Day playing Reverend Shaw; however I have to say I thought the star of the show was Joshua Hawkins playing the main character Ren. Aston Merrygold gained fame through X Factor and the band JLS, whereas Darren Day replaced Philip Schofield in the West End musical Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.
They are both amazing performers and singers but its not always “the big name” that shines brightest, even if they do help with the marketing and grabbing the attention of ticket buyers!
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For those who do not already know the story of Footloose, Ren and his mother move to a quiet little town and are shocked to find that dancing is against the town law. I Can’t Stand Still is one of Ren’s songs and accordingly he soon starts trying to change things and shakes the town up a little including getting involved with the local Reverend’s daughter Ariel, played by Lucy Munden.
The music is very 80s including well known songs of Footloose, Let’s Hear It For The Boy and Holding Out For A Hero. It also features songs with very narrative lyrics such as The Girl Gets Around, and the very moving Learning To Be Silent.
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Not only do the cast manage some wonderful harmonies together but most of them play at least one instrument through the show. It’s very unusual to have the orchestra pit empty as the instruments are on the stage and worked into the performance. The drummer stays top middle where we can all see him, marvellously silhouetted the whole time.
A perfect symbol of the importance of music – in a musical and in real life, it really does get us through a lot of things.
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Dancing away at the Megamix at the end of the night I was wooping, clapping and forgetting all the stresses of everyday life, what a vibe, what a night – just make sure you do not miss it!
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Further information: https://footloose-musical.com/
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Maria Robertson is the Chief Music & Theatre Writer for the 5D Pop Culture Website and provides reviews & coverage of local Aberdeen music & theatre gigs. She’s an experienced writer for numerous sources and is a self-confessed live gig addict ever since seeing The Counting Crows at the Barrowlands in 1994.
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