Everybody’s talking about Jamie, and if they aren’t… they should be, after the phenomenal show opened at Mayflower Theatre last night.
Inspired by the 2011 BBC documentary, Jamie: Drag Queen at 16, the musical is based on the true-life story of Jamie New, a teenager from a council estate in Sheffield who doesn’t quite fit in.
Jamie is terrified about the future. Jamie is going to be a sensation. Supported by his brilliant loving mum and surrounded by his friends, Jamie overcomes prejudice, beats the bullies and steps out of the darkness, into the spotlight.
The show explores themes of acceptance, bullying, rejection, religion, identity, and homophobia, with a hint of humour thrown in.
And the cast is superb – from Ivano Turco, who plays Jamie, and is captivating to watch on stage, capturing the mix of the teenager’s insecurity and confidence perfectly, to the ensemble of year 11s, whose dance moves didn’t put a single step out of place, despite some complex choreography by Katie Prince.
The staging is simple but effective, and the music, book and lyrics, by Dan Gillespie Sells and Tom Macrae, flow perfectly throughout the story – although there did appear to be some sound issues, from where I was seated, meaning a few of the songs were difficult to hear the lyrics when more than one person was singing
There was no problem with the heart wrenching version of He’s My Boy though, performed by Rebecca McKinnis – who plays Margeret New – which left many of the audience reaching for the tissues.
In short, this is an exceptional production, which warmed the hearts of the audience on a chilly winter night, completely deserving of the standing ovation it received – a true celebration of triumph over adversity, whilst feeling that you don’t really fit in.
Tickets for Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (Tuesday 9– Sunday 14 January 2024) are on sale at mayflower.org.uk or 02380 711811.
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