Last night we sashayed our way to Grand Opera House for York Stage’s production of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie…
If you Don’t Even Know It, the plot is based on a true story, and follows sixteen-year-old Jamie New. Amidst the angst of high school, he yearns to become a drag queen but wants to be more than ‘the boy in the dress’.
Encouraged by doting mum Margaret (Joanne Theaker), friend Priti (Roxanne Hall) and former drag star Hugo (Grant Mcintyre) he dons the heels and soon finds his inner femme. Not everyone is Talking About Jamie so positively though; cue school bully Dean (Cain Branton) and disgusted dad (Adam Thompson) to rear the ugly heads of prejudice and intolerance.
Let’s start with Jamie. Frankie Bounds embodies the title character, and it’s clear that he’s trained professionally in musical theatre. Solid vocals, and he nails the varied character arc well – from camp shrieks, tottering on heels and the ‘Beyoncé walk’, to heartfelt pathos and raw emotion.
His relationship with mum Margaret is believable, and Joanne Theaker leaves barely a dry eye in the house in He’s My Boy. Man-hungry friend Ray (Julie Ann-Smith) gets big laughs, with knock-off market bargains and foul-mouthed rants.
Priti is the BFF who encourages Jamie to be himself, and keeps him grounded when he starts to get too big for his high-heeled boots. Roxanne Hall shows a real sincerity as Priti, and we can’t help but invest in her quietly confident character. Katie Spence’s Miss Hedge is the no-nonsense teacher who is stuck between school policy and letting pupils express themselves.
Special mention to Grant Mcintyre, who relishes the role of Hugo and switches seamlessly from working class Sheffield to American drag queen Loco Channelle. He plays Hugo with a real believability; camp and fabulous without ever being a caricature of what a drag queen should be.
A trio of extra drag queens add razzle dazzle, with Laika Virgin (Stu Hutchinson), Trey Sophisticay (Georgie Connell) and Sandra Bollock (Adam Thompson) They perhaps don’t get enough stage time, but delight when they appear.
A live band brings the excellent score to life. Unfortunately levels aren’t always balanced, and some vocals are almost completed drowned out. A real shame with such strong performers belting the soundtrack with gusto. Hopefully this is just first night teething troubles though.
The huge cast work tirelessly to tell the tale. The action rarely…drags…but we felt the first act was punchier than the second. What we don’t see is the hard working crew backstage, who must be set-dressing constantly behind the scenes. The impressive set revolves, but each time it does we’re treated to new locations.
Visually the show is a treat. Costumes dazzle, sequins sparkle and the frocks live up to their long-legged owners. There’s polish and pizzazz aplenty, and the energy and enthusiasm never falters.
Family fun? The suggested age range is 12+ and, as you might expect, there’s strong language, adult themes and cheeky humour.
Expect fierce, fabulous fun that tugs on the heartstrings. As the French might say, J’aime (Everybody’s Talking About) Jamie!
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie runs at Grand Opera House York until Saturday 24th October. Book at www.atgtickets.com/shows/everybodys-talking-about-jamie-presented-by-york-stage/grand-opera-house-york/
Disclaimer: Tickets were kindly provided for this performance, however all opinions are honest and are our own.
