Plymouth Theatre Review

Easy to Follow: 4

Family Friendly: 3.5

Must see: 4

Title: FAME

Venue: Theatre Royal Plymouth

Date: 4/8/26

‘FAME ‘is a wonderfully touching tribute to all who live in the world of the performing arts. It tells the story of a group of students going through a performing arts school to be musicians, dancers and actors. This musical is a portrayal of the highs and lows of being an artist, and how your greatest passion can morph into your hardest pressure.

With Tom Jackson Greaves as director and choreographer and Tinovimbanashe Sibanda as co-choreographer , Theatre Royal Plymouth’s production of ‘FAME’ is a masterclass in dance and movement. The cast glided across the stage with such effortlessness it was just memorising. From punchy, sharp and intense street dance routines to gentle and elegant contemporary dance this production did not fall short.

I was particularly impressed with Amonik Melaco who played Tyrone Jackson as he delivered multiple highly technical dance routines with such clarity and skill it was a true joy to watch; Melaco is a powerhouse of an athlete and artist. It must be said that everyone on stage delivered terrific dance performances and Greaves and Sibanda delivered exceptional choreography.

Music wise, the show is outstanding and everyone involved with bringing it to life should be incredibly proud, from the orchestral masterpieces to the breathtaking acoustic solos, this performance was incredible. I was blown away by the several moments of harmonies by the whole cast. The build ups were amazing, layering one at a time until you were engulfed in a chorus of wonderfully unique voices which bounced off each other incredibly well. The creative team, led by George Francis as musical director, did a great job at bringing all of it together so neatly. One cast member who stuck out to me was Shanay Holmes who played Miss Sherman whose delivery of ‘These are my children’ was magical and really touching. Her command of the work and range of her voice was superb, and her ability was clear from the very first note. I found myself excited when she came on stage because her voice was so powerful and left such a mark. Two other cast members who delivered powerful vocal performances were Talia Palamathanan, who played Carmen Diaz, specifically for their rendition of FAME and Megan Ellis who played Serena Katz for their rendition of ‘Let’s play a love scene’

When it came down to dialogue scenes however, I don’t think this production quite hit the mark. I found it a bit start and stop between actors and an overall lack of passion and chemistry through the whole cast. This is not to say that the dialogue scenes were bad but compared to the level that the singing and dancing were at there was a clear difference. I would’ve liked to see more fluidity in movement during those scenes and less static as there were moments where the play felt stiff. Saying that, Shanay Holmes delivered several monologues with spectacular articulation and enunciation which really drew you in. My last point is the production. Wow. From set to lighting to costume this show was fantastic. The main set piece was a multi floored building which had two walls which moved at different angles, so the set was adaptable and nearly the entire stage was on a lazy Susan. This meant the stage span throughout the performance, and this was practically used to go through doors or into different spaces which was amazing, and you really felt transported with the actors when they moved. The costumes were authentic to the 1980s and the lighting felt reminiscent of the classic movies set in New York, which is where the play is set.

To conclude, this musical is a fantastic showcase of the importance of art and artists, a tribute to creation and an acknowledgement to all who go through performing art schools. As someone who went into drama at a higher education level, I felt myself relating to the drama classes and wondering whether others watching would have similar feelings. Performance wise, it’s a must see for its technical dances and incredible singing and in a time where we are facing funding cuts after funding cuts this is a vital piece of theatre to be putting on.

Reviewed by Joe Neville

*Gifted – This theatre review was written following a gifted ticket to the performance. However, all opinions and views expressed in this review are entirely that of the reviewer and the review has not been influenced in any way by the provision of the ticket. Our commitment remains to provide an honest and unbiased assessment of the experience.