Words: Paul Szabo
Photography: Matt Crockett
For a show which originally opened in 1981, Dreamgirls is a story that was somewhat ahead of its time in embodying a real sense of female empowerment and self-determination into a story which brings into focus the underlying racism and sexism of the 60s music scene.
All-girl group The Dreamettes are catapulted into the limelight by Curtis Taylor Jr, a criminally unscrupulous manager, and as their success grows, so does the backstage backbiting and bickering. Lead singer Effie White is pushed out of the spotlight in favour of the more attractive but less talented Deena Jones, whilst Lorrell Robinson naively falls in love with serial womaniser Jimmy “Thunder” Early. Effie hits rock bottom whilst Deena’s career soars; but when Curtis oversteps the mark, the trio all find their own voices – both on and off the stage.
The success of the 2006 film starring Beyoncé and Jennifer Hudson has undoubtedly raised the profile of this thoroughly enjoyable Broadway musical; and despite the thinly veiled influences of the Motown story, Diana Ross and The Supremes and James Brown being blatantly obvious, the show has embedded itself in popular culture as evidenced by a thousand screeching versions of “And I Am Telling You” on TV talent shows across the globe. It’s ultimately a tale of the showbiz rollercoaster, of strong and determined women and of the transformation from wide-eyed innocence to grounded self-discovery.
“It’s ultimately a tale of the showbiz rollercoaster, of strong and determined women”
Littered with some terrific songs, Dreamgirls is not too far from a sing-through musical. The numbers range from the catchy to the instantly recognisable and are used either to progress the narrative, as show-stopping set pieces or, at times, both. The cast are strong, with Nataslie Kassange as Deena and Paige Peddie as Lorrell easily navigating the vocal gymnastics of the songs, Dom Hartley-Harris melodically oozing both charm and sleaze as Curtis, and a dance ensemble who were tight and slick in their delivery.
But it was Nicole Raquel Dennis who gave a powerhouse performance as Effie White, with a voice that reverberated in the chest and an ability to covey every ounce of Effie’s pain and heartbreak to the audience – and she absolutely nailed the show’s most anticipated numbers, closing act one with a standing ovation worthy performance of And I Am Telling You, and kicking off act two with a show-stopping rendition of I Am Changing.
As a production, Dreamgirls retains the look, feel and sound of the sixties and seventies. It is a slick, polished and incredibly fast-paced show which barely pauses for breath. There is some terrific costume design that easily conveys the era and a simple yet creative set allowing the space to be converted from front to backstage, from dressing room to office and from recording studio to back street bar with ease.
Fans of the musical will find a high quality, talent-packed production of the show, whilst fans of the film will find a great deal to enjoy in the stage version. Wherever your starting point is with Dreamgirls, you will find a show which is relentless in its delivery of music and emotion; it amounts to an evening at the theatre which is thoroughly enjoyable, simultaneously heartbreaking and uplifting and which ultimately leaves you on a high and with a real sense of optimism and hope.
Dreamgirls is at the Sheffield Lyceum until 19th March 2022
