Presented by Hills Youth Theatre
Reviewed 13 January 2015
I’m sure we’ve all seen the story before: down-on-their-luck kids, oppressed by heartless adults, using music to free themselves and spread a message of hope to teens and tweens everywhere. Yep, it’s the basic plot of most gleeky shows out there and, like most gleeky shows, you will either adore Don’t Stop Believin’ or groan at every cheesy, pep-filled song.
Don’t Stop Believin’, directed by Judy Sampson and featuring an ENORMOUS cast of young stars, is the story of the Ethel Lambert Community Centre and the kids that call it their home-away-from-home. The Centre is threatened by greedy, suit-wearing council members who want to turn the dilapidated building into a parking garage, raking in the money at the expense of the poor children. Only the kids can save the day by entering the famous TV Talent Show “We’ve Got Talent” and aiming to win the grand prize.
Of course, along the way there is a lot of singing and dancing, as well as energetic monologues (perhaps overly energetic at points), explosive teen drama, bubbly and innocent comedy, and even a bit of a romance. The script itself, to be completely honest, is not the greatest piece of theatrical writing ever picked up off the proverbial shelf, but that’s not entirely the point. The point is to get young, hopeful and talented actors and actresses up on stage doing something fun and colourful. Don’t go in to this show expecting Glee quality lyrics. Just sit back, embrace the cheesiness and enjoy the catchy parts.
Despite a few obvious hiccups, the cast did a marvellous job of remembering all their lines, particularly the little ‘uns. I’m impressed by how the director and stage hands managed to corral the vast herd of excitable young stars into what we saw on stage. When things did go wrong, it was easy to see that the cause was most likely opening night jitters. There’s some real talent shining through among the cast, which I’m sure would have flourished in future performances.
Even though I wasn’t a massive fan of the songs (I’m definitely not a gleek), I must admit I was taken by the set and costumes. The Community Centre backdrop is intricate and multi-layered, and the costumes perfectly match the characters wearing them. I think the set of Don’t Stop Believin’ is actually one of the best I’ve seen in a production of this size and scope.
This is definitely one to take your kids along to (especially since they encourage young ones to dress up and receive sweets on stage during intermission. Lucky them!). Though you might have to sit through some fairly obnoxious songs and cliches, the young and young at heart will definitely get a kick out of it!
Reviewed by James Rudd
Venue: Stirling Community Theatre, 7 Avenue Rd, Stirling
Season: 13 – 18 January
Duration: 2.5 hours with intermission
More News
