Review: EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE, The Lowry Salford - Tour

Photo credit: Matt Crockett

Back in 2011, BBC Three aired a documentary about a boy named Jamie who attended his school prom in a dress. The true story would later go on to inspire an award-winning international stage show as well as a blockbuster movie.

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is the story of resilience and perseverance to be true to who you are. Jamie New is sixteen, lives on your typical council estate in Sheffield and isn’t quite like everyone else. Jamie wants to step out of the darkness and into the spotlight. After wowing audiences for three years in the West End and touring the UK, the show is back with a brand new cast ready to get everyone talking about Jamie all over again.

Leading the cast of the new production is West End star Ivano Turco as Jamie New and he embodies everything that is fantastic about this complex character. This role has had some fantastic actors in the title role and Turco is in no one’s shadow. In what must be a daunting task taking over such a well known role, Turco delivers the raw emotion needed to tell such a unique and heartfelt story. His vocals put a new spin on the role by utilising his strong powerful singing voice and adding vocal runs to the arrangements that haven’t been heard in this role before. His character arc is near perfection from the shy, demure school boy at the opening of Act One to the confident performer, Mimi Me, returning to school at the opening of Act Two. This could be the most believable 16 year old Jamie yet. Ivano Turco is going to be the name on everyone’s lips as this tour progresses.

Each venue has their own ‘star’ line up of Miss Hedge and Loco Chanelle and at this performance at The Lowry in Salford, we are treated to John Partridge as Hugo/Loco Chanelle and Hayley Tamaddon as Miss Hedge. Having played the role previously during its initial West End run, Tamaddon’s portrayal of Hedge is more demure than her predecessors but shines in ‘Work Of Art’, delivering one of the stand out numbers of the show. Partridge’s diction in ‘The Legend Of Loco Chanelle’ means that information of the story of the blood red dress is missed. He does however grow in confidence on stage as the show progresses and really becomes Loco, interacting with the audience during a scene at the drag club ‘Legs Eleven’.

The story is obsolete without casting the correct actor in the correct role. Reprising her role from the West End run is Rebecca McKinnis as Margaret New who sings the hell out of ‘He’s My Boy’ in a truly show stopping number, emoting the love she has for her son regardless of the choices and mistakes he may make.

Shobna Gulati has been a constant throughout the evolution of the musical and once again plays Ray, Margaret’s hilarious best friend, guaranteed to get the audience laughing each time on stage. Talia Palamathanan plays Pritti Pasha, Jamie’s clever and loyal best friend. ‘It Means Beautiful’ places Talia’s voice firmly in the spotlight with nothing more than an acoustic guitar being played, hitting all the right notes.

This revival of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie has had minimal changes from previous productions including a few sentences of updated dialogue and back projection enhancing the locations on stage. It seems a bit of a wasted opportunity to not incorporate some of the wonderful aspects from the successful film such as ‘This Was Me’, which would bring a deeper connection to the character of Hugo in fully understanding the character and his backstory.

From the moment the first school bell rings, the audience are captivated by catchy tunes, slick choreography and a moving true story which resonates with so many. Billed as ‘the hit musical for today’, it is still as relevant as ever, reminding us that we are all ‘Works Of Art.’ When attacks on the LGBTQIA+ community are on the rise and across the world there are bans on drag events, these stories are needed more than ever to encourage us all to stop waiting for permission to be ourselves.

Get ready to talk about Jamie all over again because it’s a hit!

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Jordan Potts

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie plays at The Lowry in Salford until 17 September before continuing its tour. To book tickets for select touring venues, please click here.