Becoming Nancy

Birmingham REP is a sanctuary for new, vibrant musicals, and their latest production has set the bar even higher than before.

Becoming Nancy, based on the book by Terry Ronald, tells the story of David Starr who is unwittingly thrown into the role of Nancy in his school’s production of Oliver, much to his (and his Dad’s!) dismay. As he battles with whether or not he should take on the role, and whether his doing so will provide his bullies with even more ammunition, he undertakes a journey of self discovery and becomes the Starr he is meant to be.

The book, provided by Elliot Davis, explores some heavy topics, including homophobia, bigotry, and racism, while peppering the subject matter with humour and light-heartedness. With witty one-liners and hilarious fourth wall breaks, the script is clever and engaging, if not a little choc-a-bloc.

With songs from George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, alongside Elliot Davis and Terry Ronald, the soundtrack is varied, yet comfortable – providing the classic ballads, duets, and 11 o clock number that we all know and love. The lyrics help carry the story, unlocking new perspectives and outlooks.

The costumes, designed by Jean Chan, are well thought-out, especially the school uniforms, which were lightly accessorised to allow each character’s personality to shine through. They were perfectly suited to the time period and complemented each scene, helping to bring the story to life. David Rockwell and TJ Greenway’s set was clever and imaginative, highlighting the power a minimal, yet obvious lay out can have. The choreography was vibrant and innovative, and very well rehearsed, kudos to Jerry Mitchell – although, do we expect anything less?

The show was well cast with a diverse range of characters on stage. Richard Meek plays an intimidating and sneaky Bob Lord, who certainly meets his match in Stephen Ashfield’s Hamish McClarnon, the dramatic yet considerate drama teacher whom David finds support in after a particularly difficult evening. Rebecca Trehearn is a stunning Kath Starr, her rendition of ‘About Six Inches From Your Heart’ was particularly moving. Her husband, Eddie Starr, played by Mathew Craig, starts off fierce, stubborn, and almost pitiful, which provides the perfect canvas to repaint the later compassionate, protective, and supportive dad we wished him to be from the start.

Daisy Greenwood as Abigail Henson is a vision. Her comedic approach and smart character choices created an Abigail that we were rooting for, whilst simultaneously feeling sorry for. Her beautiful vocals are showcased in a lovely duet with Genevieve Nicole as Aunt Val, as the pair discuss the happy couples they see aboard the night bus as they find that being single isn’t all that bad. The use of musical icons Blondie, Sting, and Kate Bush as the Greek Chorus was a genius choice, especially Genevieve Nicole’s Kate Bush who was beyond funny.

Joseph Vella is a cheeky and confident Maxie Boswell, who is thrust into David’s arms as the Bill Sykes to his Nancy and realises he’s actually quite comfortable there. Vella offers an emotionally intelligent approach, navigating some tricky subject matter, especially as the pair venture into Brighton’s gay scene. His kindness and compassion towards other characters, despite being caught in the middle of his football team and the drama production (very Troy Bolton of him, actually…), means the audience feel even more sorry for him as he navigates his own difficult journeys.

Paige Peddie is a strong, confident, and passionate Frances Bassey. Her newly added powerhouse number ‘Who I Am’ absolutely stole the show, I could have listened to it on repeat ten times over. Her touching journey as a young woman of colour dealing with hatred and bigotry is dealt with maturity and care and has us all rooting for her as she confront the bullies themselves.

But by far, the ‘Starr’ of the show is Joseph Peacock as David Starr himself. He perfectly balances humour and seriousness, and his self-narration had us in stitches throughout. He seamlessly navigates the transition between self discovery and supporting his friends’ own journeys, bringing a vulnerability and understanding to the character. His stunning vocals are showcased brilliantly, and continued to stun even despite a microphone mishap.

My only concern with the show is that there are too many stories happening simultaneously making it hard to follow in some places. Streamlining the storyline and creating more of a focus would aid the flow of the material and instead give each of the major issues the attention and care they deserve.

That being said, there is just so much to love about this show and I believe it has a well deserved place in our theatre landscape.

This show was reviewed on the 15th October 2024 at Birmingham REP where it runs until the 2nd November 2024.  Get your tickets here: Becoming Nancy | Birmingham Rep (birmingham-rep.co.uk)

***** stars

Jasmine Richards

Join Jasmine every Saturday at 6pm with ‘The Sound of Musicals’ here on Box Office Radio

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Photo credit: Mark Senior