Wimbledon, Tuesday 10th May 2022
The perfect follow-up to Chicago last week, Drew and I were lucky enough to catch Dreamgirls at the New Wimbledon Theatre; a fact which made me laugh when early on in the show, it was referenced that our protagonists, Effie White, Deena Jones and Lorrell Robinson had travelled from Chicago for the chance to win an Amateur Talent Show at the Apollo Theatre in New York. Could Dreamgirls continue the live theatre momentum?
The cast are exceptionally talented, with Nicole Raquel Dennis (Effie), Natalie Kassanga (Deena) and Paige Peddie (Lorrell) demonstrating spectacular singing ability as they bring The Dreams to life in front of us. As this show relies on a mixture of both diegetic and non-diegetic music, it is vital that we get the opportunity to see just how talented all three members of The Dreams are for the narrative to move forward. This is a show that was certainly improved by the audience’s response – huge voices were matched by huge whoops of pleasure and enthusiastic applause from the crowd; none more so than And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going at the close of Act 1. The emotion in Dennis’ vocals, matched by her demeanour and gestures, was the absolute highlight of the show. It was the emotional peak of the show for me, and having Effie on stage by herself, sans all the glitz and glamour we have become used to seeing through Act 1 through their rise. This moment certainly establishes that The Dreams have become more of a nightmare!
I’ve touched on the glitz and glamour, but it really is such a huge part of what makes Dreamgirls successful. From the costumes to Olivier and Tony award-winning designer Tim Hatley's sets, there are wonderful transitions and reveals that will make you marvel and really will stick with you long after you leave the theatre. Some of the quick changes in particular are awe-inspiring, as characters step out of their mundane everyday clothes into their exceptional performance clothes. There is a great moment toward the start of Act 2 with I Am Changing where Effie gets back on stage, and the lights close in around her face. At this point, Effie is more mother than performer, and her clothes reflect this stage in her life as she is dressed more conservatively than we have seen before. As she sings, the stage crew gather around her, obscured by the lights and subtly change her into full performer attire. By the time of the reveal, Effie is alone on stage – pure stage magic. It was wonderful, and the crowd – appropriately – erupted in applause! There were moments where Drew would start prodding me or gripping my hand in anticipation of a reveal, where she had noticed something being set behind the scenes, and for a show to consistently deliver on each reveal is a testament to the design of the show and the hard work of the crew backstage. That isn’t to say every moment works, the light design during the disco sequence of One Night Only, where some of the bright, strobe lights were far too overwhelming and painful – I had to shut my eyes until the song ended as it was causing so much discomfort.
Where the glitz and glamour certainly enhances the show, along with Casey Nicholaw's exquisite choreography and wonderful music on stage and from the orchestra (conducted by Simona Budd), the narrative of the show does leave me wanting for more – at times Dreamgirls often feels all style, no substance. The phenomenal performance of our leads, along with the energy and enthusiasm of Jimmy Early (Brandon Lee-Sears) is a fantastic spectacle and it is easy to get lost in the musical sequences, but when it comes time for plot or exposition, the script doesn’t leave you with the same engagement. I left Act 1 feeling lost – was I supposed to dislike Effie so much? From the second she came on stage, she was stubborn and set in her ways, often to the detriment of the group. When she was told she was being replaced by Curtis Taylor Jnr (Dom Hartley-Harris), I felt it a fair decision and believed Effie’s overreaction to be unnecessary and unlikable. This isn’t a slight on the fabulous Nicole Raquel Dennis, who really was exceptional in the role, but an issue with the writing. Similarly, Lorrell gets very little development outside of ‘dating a married man’ and Deena is now married to Curtis, who she seemed to have abject feelings towards. This also makes Deena far less likeable and muddies the water even more as she was so insistent to Effie that there was no fooling around between the two.
I feel like the scope of the show, spanning seven years, often gets muddled and confusing and this often to the detriment of the show as I don’t know who I am supposed to be routing for; anyone that isn’t Curtis perhaps? Act 2 begins with an announcement of The Dreams return to Vegas after 5 years, but Effie mentions her daughter is 7. Math isn’t my strongest skill, but moments like this took me out the action and limited my enjoyment in the show – come for the spectacular musical sequences but don’t expect much in terms of a rather rushed plot. The biggest victim of this is our fourth Dream; Michelle Morris, who only seems to exist as Effie’s replacement and has no defining character.
Act 1 was absolutely my highlight of the show; I really enjoyed watching the rise of The Dreams, and I wish Act 2 focused more on their fall. I feel the plot is far more effective, as we watch Curtis butt heads with Marty (Jo Servi) as he tries to weasel his way into a successful music management career. I enjoy the ups and downs, as they try to find the sound that will break the glass ceiling, and see it stolen by lesser acts – Cadillac Car being a real sour note in the story and you feel the injustice of the moment so strongly. It spawns the excellent Steppin’ To The Bad Side and you feel like you are as part of the journey as the characters in front. It might be because all of this feels far more in real-time than the rest of the show that suddenly skips forward. Act 2 has moments, but they are far and few between.
Ultimately, the glitz and glamour Dreamgirls offers provides a fantastic spectacle that will stick with you long after you leave the theatre and you will not be disappointed by the performances of the cast. You will be caught up in the enthusiasm and you will cheer. Where Dreamgirls goes wrong is with a messy plot that sometimes offers too much scope and doesn’t make it clear who you are supposed to route for.
***/5
Download our episode – coming out Monday 16th May for a more comprehensive discussion of the show and to find out who our MVP is; along with more talk on our favourite songs
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Dreamgirls is currently playing at the New Wimbledon Theatre in Wimbledon until Saturday 14th May 2022. You can follow them on:
Twitter: @NewWimbTheatre
Instagram: @NewWimbledonTheatre
Twitter & Instagram: @Dreamgirls_UK