Footloose review

By Maureen Sullivan

Last year I watched the Savoyards’ Summer Workshop present ‘We Will Rock You’ and was amazed at the standard achieved in just six days.

This year youngsters attending the week-long workshop again demonstrated their talent and hard work as they performed the musical ‘Footloose’ at Shanklin Theatre. For the most part, the performers were word, note and step perfect.

Perfectly cast as Ren McCormack, Eddie Moor was the kingpin of the show, onstage most of the time and with a role demanding acting, singing and dancing talents. Chloe Neale was in fine voice as Ariel, portraying different sides to this complex character. I also enjoyed the scenes with her girlfriends, Rusty, Urleen and Wendy Jo (Kaitlyn Donovan, Ava Cowan and Enid Rees).

Jay Sangha also proved his comedy worth as Willard, the slow-witted non-dancer who befriends Ren in his new school, and wins the love of Rusty, while Issac Fox was suitably mean and threatening as Chuck. Chantou Spit was believable as Ren’s mother Ethel, while Miles Harvey and Hannah Crawford worked well together as Reverance Shaw and his wife, Vi. Amanda Mitchell-Vale was delightfully aloof and severe as principal clerk, and I enjoyed Scarlett Green’s presentation of Coach Dunbar’s PE class.

The principal actors were well supported by a large cast of other characters, dancers, cowgirls, parishioners and chorus singers, every one of whom contributed to a highly entertaining show. I am in awe of the way director, Jack Tutt, with choreographer, Ashleigh Mackness, and musical director, Indra Riches, has put together such a fabulous production in such a short time.

Everyone associated with ‘Footloose’ is to be congratulated for the work, effort and talent that has gone into this show.