This month sees the UK production of Green Day’s American Idiot return to the Arts Theatre. Directed and choreographed by Racky Plews, it stars The X Factor alumni Amelia Lily and music artist Newton Faulkner.There is at the heart of this musical a story worth caring about and Racky Plews stages it masterfully. Her choreography packs a heavy punch that more than matches that of Green Day’s score and her direction is detailed enough to ensure that every actor on stage has a purpose.
American Idiot also has one of the hardest working ensembles in the West End. Their energy is relentless. Plews’ choreography demands a lot of them but is executed to perfection. Rather than being hindered by the small stage they own every square inch of it. In fact, the space appears to grow as required to accommodate their impassioned dancing.
Having said that, this production isn’t quite what it could be. There are some tweaks to be made to the sound balance as the band often overwhelms the singers. Their gorgeous sound shines through but lyrics are by and large lost - not ideal for a musical that is largely sung through.
Amelia Lily and Newton Faulkner are note perfect (Faulkner’s performance of When It’s Time had the audience spell bound) but neither seems one hundred percent comfortable in the role they play. This is exacerbated by performances like the one given by Lucas Rush as St. Jimmy. From the moment he appears he commands the stage in a performance reeking of charisma and confidence. The onstage battle between his character and Faulkner’s Johnny really is star casting vs. star quality.
Hopefully Faulkner and Lily with both settle into their roles. They were certainly be buoyed by the enthusiastic audience responses the show is receiving. This after all is a production that will encourage a new generation of theatre goers which also happens to be the main aim of Sell A Door Theatre Company, American Idiot’s producers. From mission statement to mission accomplished.
It’s the 60s. Alan Ayckbourn’s comedy presents three couples: Frank and Teresa Foster (old, stuffy and, in Frank’s words, married “because it’s better than nothing”), Bob and Theresa Phillips (burdened with a child, and burdened by each other for most of the play, before passionately resolving their differences in the bedroom) and William and Mary Featherstone (you really pull for these two: Mary is scared of social situations, and William has spent all his life trying to make Mary less scared of social situations, but Mary is still really scared of social situations..and sherry).