Review: The Boy in the Dress Original Cast Recording, RSC
There have been a lot of discussions recently, sparked mainly by one Harry Styles and his fashion choices, about the idea of “manly men” and masculinity. Styles has been photographed numerous times wearing a dress, particularly in his record-setting cover of Vogue (as he is the first-ever man to appear solo on this publication), as well as most recently posting a satirical caption of “bring back manly men” on social media whilst wearing a frilly suit.
David Walliams wrote his book The Boy in the Dress in 2008, which also promoted the idea that men should be able to wear whatever they want to without fear of judgement. Where Walliams differs however, is that the characters in his book are mostly children and he uses the traditional “feminised” idea of a dress against the generally considered “manly” sport of football. This is very clever as not only does it encourage liberation for men but it also aims to completely eradicate the idea of activities being for men or women specifically, just for those who enjoy them. Having this sort of message inside a children’s book was and still is somewhat controversial to some but I, for one, support this idea and believe people should be able to do whatever they want without fear of judgement!
The songs that appear in the RSC musical production of The Boy in the Dress were created by iconic team, Guy Chambers and Robbie Williams, with the overriding idea being that the soundtrack would be for children and being performed by kids on stage. Because of this, the vocal arrangements are generally fairly accessible but there are still moments in the show that any performer would struggle with. What I did not expect however, was the range of emotions the show takes you through.
As this is an adaptation of a hilarious children’s book, I would expect it to be entirely fun and energetic, which certain songs are, but I did not expect so many emotionally powerful songs to be included. If you don’t know the story (*SPOILER ALERT*), the main character in this story, Dennis, loses his mum and the songs that come from this storyline hit a lot deeper than I would have initially expected. The song ‘If I Don’t Cry’ is a very moving song that is extremely relatable to anyone who has lost a loved one. This song is beautifully performed and the emotion behind it is very well portrayed on the recording.
One of my favourite songs in the musical is the song, ‘A House Without A Mum’, featuring Rufus Hound as Dad. It starts as a very whimsical number about all the fun they can have now that there is no one to nag them all the time but after a while, the song becomes a sad reflection on the actuality of a house without a mum. This change is perfectly crafted to reflect the range of emotions a young person could feel through the loss of a loved one. On a personal note, the one line from this song that truly struck a chord was “there’s a hole where there wasn’t one before”, which was so powerful that I struggled to hold back the tears at this point.
Musical number ‘When Things Fall Apart’ is also an incredible song that portrays feelings of being overwhelmed by life and again is very emotionally driven. The performers' voices work flawlessly together and create a beautiful performance to listen to.
There are many super fun and energetic numbers during the show too, which I think kids in particular will love. The opening number, ‘Ordinary’ performed by the whole company, does what an opening number should do by introducing key characters and showcasing the environment that it’s set in for the audience. This number is your classic musical theatre number but it makes modern references to Lidl and Mary Berry for example, which I think makes the show even more relatable. The song starts with an almost fairytale vibe, which hints towards the fantastical and childlike nature of the show, but this changes to a more powerful score, which then relates to the more intense moments in the show.
My personal favourite upbeat song from the show is ‘Three For The Price Of Two’, which is delivered by the shop owner character, Raj (played by Irvine Iqbal). From what I can remember from the film, Raj is a store owner who is very friendly and fun but constantly uses questionable business ideas to sell products. The title itself captures the humour of this character (it is also a joke my father regularly makes!) but it is delivered as a comedic rap with clear influences from the Bollywood genre.
‘I Hate Kids’ is the villainous number, performed by Forbes Masson as Mr Hawtrey. It is still incredibly fun and has similarities to Mrs Hannigan and Mrs Trunchbull (from Annie and Matilda respectively) but the character that performs the song is male in this case. The show has a lot of disco inclusion to create a sense of celebration during the high points of the show. The song ‘Disco Symphony’ is an extremely feel-good dance number filled with infectious feel-good vibes and I can imagine audiences would want to get up on their feet and dance.
The finale number also plays on the disco element and it is a very happy way to end the show, which is great for kids show, but also allows people to have a boogie!
This show is the perfect blend of happy, upbeat numbers and emotionally driven numbers that take you on a journey. The Boy in the Dress has something for everyone and is fun that the entire family can enjoy.
****’ 4.5 stars
Reviewed by: Rhys Payne