Published: Friday, 21st August, 2009 1:15am
Loserville is a big winner
by Rose Harland
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A ROCK musical featuring the early days of computers, a love of Star Trek and Star Wars and a hero called Michael Dork might not sound like the coolest way to spend an evening.
But audience members watching Loserville: The Musical, directed by Steven Dexter, knew they were witnessing the start of something very special.
Before the show began a few doubters in the audience could have been sceptical about a musical featuring a cast of unknown teenagers, co-written by someone who made his name in guitar-toting boyband Busted, and being performed for the very first time in front of an audience.
However, as the live band positioned above the stage kicked into action, the cast of 35 youngsters from Youth Music Theatre UK (YMTUK) sprang onto the stage in a blur of coloured cards and eye-catching costumes, and the opening bars of this fantastic new musical by James Bourne and Elliot Davis rang out into the Wilde Theatre any doubts were immediately silenced.
Performing on a stripped down set, the cast, seamlessly choreographed by Nick Winston, transported the audience back in time to a 1970s all-American high school where Michael Dork, played wonderfully by Glen Facey, has to sneak into a computer firm just to get a technology fix - a far cry from today's world where teens won't go anywhere unless armed with a laptop and iPod.
The two female leads, Emily Gill, who played Holly, and Stephanie Turbin as Leia, wowed the crowd with their beautiful voices as the rest of the cast sang and danced to such high standards that their performance would not have looked out of place on a West End Stage - which is no doubt where Loserville is headed in the not too distant future, hopefully along with many of its young and talented cast.
Anthony Bartlett and James Carroll had the audience in stitches as Trekkie double act Francis and Marvin with their, sometimes cheeky, one-liners while Marcus Dobson gave a flawless performance as Lucas Lloyd - a loveable geek who is torn between loyalty to his best friend and a means for his own "ticket outta Loserville".
This heartfelt show about being true to yourself, even if that means not fitting in with the in-crowd, may be about so-called losers but the team behind the show are definitely onto a winner.
I'll have a ticket into Loserville please.
Loserville: The Musical is at South Hill Park until Saturday. To book visit www.southhillpark.org.uk or call 01344 484123.
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Ed
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Aug 21 09 09:00
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A truly wonderful evening. Well done to all the cast, crew and writers.
Alyson
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Aug 21 09 09:08
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Fantastic performance, brilliant singing, brilliant dancing, brilliant acting, brilliant band - well done to all.
Sarah
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Aug 21 09 15:14
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Totally amazing evening, alot better than i had expected. I would happily watch the play all over again.
Carlson
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Aug 21 09 22:48
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Just got home after seeing it and now i really want to go see it again!
I think i may have to buy another ticket to Loserville!!
Marie-Celine
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Aug 22 09 01:40
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A rough diamond in the making. Not just the musical itself but the raw talent that carried it. With a few polishes here and there...
I'd liked to have seen more made of the leads in terms of their voices. And the dancers!!There was some serious dance talent in the chorus and that break dancing bit...you should have let him have at least 2 mins to show off. The virus sent to the "Arch" enemy could have been a tad more spectacular in the melt down. And after the huge lead up with the "photo's" where was the transformation from geek girl to BEAUTY. I thought the point was you COULD have brains andt*ts!! But all that takes backing.
I hope you get it , you deserve it.
I clapped till my hands were raw.
Well done!!
Marie-Celine
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Aug 22 09 01:45
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A rough diamond in the making. Not just the musical itself but the raw talent that carried it. With a few polishes here and there...
I'd liked to have seen more made of the leads in terms of their voices. And the dancers!!There was some serious dance talent in the chorus and that break dancing bit...you should have let him have at least 2 mins to show off. The virus sent to the "Arch" enemy could have been a tad more spectacular in the melt down. And after the huge lead up with the "photo's" where was the transformation from geek girl to BEAUTY. I thought the point was you COULD have brains andt*ts!! But all that takes backing.
I hope you get it , you deserve it.
I clapped till my hands were raw.
Well done!!
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