'Everybody's Talking About Jamie' is a gender-fluid musical gem

‘EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE’: The cast. Photo: Alastair Muir

EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE
From an idea by Jonathan Butterell
Inspired from the 2011 documentary film Jamie Drag Queen at 16
Book & lyrics by Tom Macrae
Music by Dan Gillespie Sells
Directed by Jonathan Butterell
Choreographed by Kate Prince
Through September 28, 2019
Apollo Theatre
Shaftsbury Avenue WC2
London, United Kingdom
(0330 333 4809), www.everybodystalkingaboutjamie.co.uk

By David NouNou

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is an original musical that is a delight from start to finish. It is fresh and relevant. Among its many outstanding features is the score by Dan Gillespie Sells and Tom Macrae. It is lively, energetic and extremely catchy. The book by Mr. Macrae is a tad bit long and could use some trimming.

Inspired by the true story of Jamie Campbell, the setting has now shifted to Sheffield, England. It deals with the final semester of a high-school class that is about to graduate. They are in the process of getting their evaluations of what their field of work is going to be, and center stage at his desk is Jamie New, a 16-year-old boy (Luke Bayer, understudy) reading a copy of Vogue. When it is his turn to answer what profession he wants to get in, Jamie answers performing. His teacher tells him to “get real” and his aptitude test says he is going to be a welder. Well, that doesn’t sit well with Jamie because in reality he wants to be a drag queen but doesn’t have the nerve to announce it.

There are two people in his life that Jamie can confide in: his mother, Margaret (Josie Walker) and his BFF, a Pakistani schoolmate who wants to be a doctor, Pritti Pasha (Lucie Shorthouse). And both are very supportive and encouraging of his future plans. His father abandoned him years ago when he saw Jamie prancing in his mother’s dress.

Thus starts Jamie’s journey to achieve his dreams. The road is a bumpy one. There are the usual school bullies who jeer, but there is also support from an owner of a drag boutique named “Victor’s Secret” Hugo Battersby ( Phil Nichol), formerly known as Loco Chanel, the world’s foremost drag queen and now a drag shop owner. He takes Jamie under his wing and introduces him to the world of drag and his first flaming red dress. As Jamie gets deeper into his endeavors, his fight becomes harder. The message here is he is a fighter and a survivor. He has friends that have his back and when you are only 16, climbing this steep path in red Jimmy Choo stilettos, who can ask for anything more? In an ideal world Jamie would be a perfect poster boy for the LGBTQ community.

The concept and structure of this musical is very British in nature and presentation. For Americans, it may take while to understand all the colloquialisms and the regional dialect. What makes this musical so endearing is the score, choreography and the cast. With each song, the story is propelled forward. It explains each character vividly. The songs are full of joy and hope but the melancholy songs are written for Jamie’s Mom, Margret. “If I Met Myself Again” and the heart-wrenching “He’s My Boy” is a lament that every mother sings about her son, gay or straight, or just plain different.

The entire cast is splendid. However, there are three standouts. Luke Bayer, although the understudy, makes an incredible Jamie. There is so much joy and enthusiasm in him; his charm is off the charts. His mother, played by Josie Walker, is the epitome of every single mom trying to make sense of how to raise her son and at what point did she go wrong. The third is Lucie Shorthouse who brings a new meaning to being a cool Muslim BFF. She infuses the character with depth and heart.

Jonathan Butterell’s direction is concise but could have used some editing but it is Kate Prince’s choreography that keeps the dancers on point and precise.

If you are in London this summer, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is a must. Due to its exacting setting, this is one of those musicals that would have a hard time transferring to Broadway. Even if you changed the setting to a rural American city, it would lose its essential native charm. This is one show that is meant to be seen in its natural setting and that is London.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published June 28, 2018
Reviewed at June 21, 2018 performance in London