BIG – The Review
Not going to go through the show, scene by scene ‘coz these days I have a moth-eaten woolly for a memory, so this is a more a flavour of what makes the show tick ...

Pretty much everyone knows the story and the show’s quite faithful to the fillum - they play all the well-known scenes, although not necessarily in the same order ...

The staging is absolutely magic. The revolving dooberries and houses swinging in from left and right make everything happen smoothly and the big-screen backdrop is phenomenal BUT what makes it so very good is that it still retains the theatre feel. It would have been so easy to end up with something that looked like a computer generated model and it doesn’t. The best bit is the Carnival scene, when Josh and Billy move around the Carnival site – soooo clever, changing the scene multiple times using the revolving stage and odd bits and pieces coming in from the wings and even being brought on by the cast. And the Zoltar part, with lighting and sound effects and moving bits, was gloriously spooky ....................

Costumes are hilarious. ‘80s big hair, power trip suits, jeans and bomber jackets and there in the middle of it all is the sartorially challenged Josh. Oh, how Vikki Giggles and War Drobe must be cursing into their Strictly tea mugs. One year on from the great glitter and open shirts embargo and there is Jay, in his teenie weenie, itsy bitsy, cartoon pants and later in, drum roll, shock horror, a full on WHITE SUIT. Not just any old WHITE SUIT but a WHITE PENGUIN SUIT, with GOLD SHINY STUFF ON IT!!!!!!! And boooy oh boooooy, does the boy suit a suit, shiny or not .....

What makes the muzak good is that the score sort of builds up – I love Cross the Line, which closes the first Act, and Coffee Black, both of which are big numbers. Orchestra is fab. The choreography is really good, treading the line between full-on, super whizzbang pure dance and interpreting the theme of the show to perfection. Loved the kids rapping.

Now, the casting. They have got it spot on. Sooo glad DVO pulled out – Jessica Martin is absolutely right as Mrs Baskin. Gary Wilmot brings exactly the right amount of spoof gravitas to his part, Irwin Sparkes makes a weaselly Paul and Diana Vickers acts her part well and has the big voice to go with it. I rather liked Lori Hayley Fox as Miss Watson and the Plymkids were superb. The feeling of unity and fun flooded out from the stage.

Oh. How odd. I seem to have forgotten someone.

Jay, lovely Jay. Whilst the role of Josh undoubtedly suits him, as usual he really has under-egged his acting ability. He does this so bloody well. He conveys the confusion of Josh adapting in part to the life of an adult but forever retaining the confusion and gaucheness. He plays the comedy to perfection – from the uninhibited dissing of weaselly Paul’s toys, through the contrasting total inhibition of love and it’s physical consequences, to barfing Beluga caviar on the carpet ..... Despite the throat problems, he sang the heart-rending songs of a lonely, frightened little boy beautifully and the stronger, hustling songs of not-quite-executive Josh with gusto. And the dancing. Oh, my word. He doesn’t just need to be able to move (which we all know he can), he has to lead the company – and he does. BIG style. He is good. He’s very, very good – and when the throat gets better, he’ll be even better. But, you know what? He’s good in such an understated way. No scene stealing, no “here I am, look at me” ...........................

I really do want to go back and see the show again. There’s a heck of a lot to take in and I know there’s stuff I missed – not least because my eyesight isn’t the best and it’s easy to miss some of the nuances of expression. There are bits that I wish so much were on YouTube, too, just for the sheer quality of those moments. It’s a show for everyone and anyone, the children can enjoy it, the grown ups can enjoy it. The film, for me, was a bit cringe-making at times but the musical isn’t – it’s just fun, with that twist of pathos.

So, in short, folks, go see it – it’s worth it!