Dreamgirls was one of those musicals I’d heard of but didn’t really know that much about. I knew “I’m Not Telling You” and had heard multiple versions of it over the years and I vaguely knew of One Night Only and Listen. Apart from that, my knowledge of the show was very limited. After seeing the current run, I wish I’d found out more about it sooner! The entire production had me smiling, crying, laughing and every other emotion in between and it’s been a long time since I’ve come out of a show that blown away by the leading lady.
Effie White is a diva, a little self-centred but underneath it all has a good heart and a powerhouse of a voice, and she was played spectacularly by Karen Mav. She is one of two alternates, covering for Amber Riley. I can imagine it is hard enough being an understudy at the best of times, but covering someone so well known, who also won an Olivier for their performance, can only be that much harder, yet Mav owned the role and this was only another example of an understudy epitomising a role and making it their own.
At the end of act one comes arguably the show’s most famous song, the previously mentioned I’m Not Telling You. It’s a powerful song and finally seeing it in context had me in tears and, looking around me as the song ended, I don’t think there were many, if any, dry eyes in the house. Mav earned a very well deserved standing ovation and the cheers she received were deafening. She was able to perform the song with the power it needs but whilst simultaneously making Effie’s desperation and heart ache clear. Effie is a character who you feel sorry for but who, at the same time, is partly to blame for some of things that happen. She doesn’t deserve to be treated the way she is but she doesn’t help herself and Mav was able to portray the two sides flawlessly. As an audience member, your feelings towards the character changed from scene to scene, even sometimes from line to line.
I must also mention Liisi Lafontaine as Deena. Starting as the quiet girl in Effie’s shadow to the woman in the spotlight, yet never quite happy and in an emotionally abusive relationship. She shone during Listen and the scene where Effie gives her the courage to leave Curtis, the man who hurt them both, you could hear a pin drop.
Curtis was played effortlessly by Rohan Richards, another understudy who more than deserves a principal role of his own. Curtis is a slimeball, a man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants, ruthless and uncaring. Richards seemed to grow in confidence as the show went on and he made you hate the character.
The secondary story of Jimmy Early, a famous R&B singer who Curtis takes over managing and who, in the end, is ruined, and his affair with the third member of the Dreams, Lorrell, was played out strongly by Adam J Bernard and Asmeret Ghebremichael; particularly in the Ain’t No Party scene, where Lorrell begins to realise that Jimmy will never leave his wife for her. It was really the only scene where Ghebremichael was able to show the true extent of her vocal power, being the backing singer to Effie or Deena for the most part, and I feel the character needs more chance to shine.
Overall, this show provides an amazing night out at the theatre. The choreography is slick and fast paced, the vocals are strong and the entire cast work seamlessly together. For me, this show is a must see and I can't imagine anyone coming away disappointed.
Effie White is a diva, a little self-centred but underneath it all has a good heart and a powerhouse of a voice, and she was played spectacularly by Karen Mav. She is one of two alternates, covering for Amber Riley. I can imagine it is hard enough being an understudy at the best of times, but covering someone so well known, who also won an Olivier for their performance, can only be that much harder, yet Mav owned the role and this was only another example of an understudy epitomising a role and making it their own.
At the end of act one comes arguably the show’s most famous song, the previously mentioned I’m Not Telling You. It’s a powerful song and finally seeing it in context had me in tears and, looking around me as the song ended, I don’t think there were many, if any, dry eyes in the house. Mav earned a very well deserved standing ovation and the cheers she received were deafening. She was able to perform the song with the power it needs but whilst simultaneously making Effie’s desperation and heart ache clear. Effie is a character who you feel sorry for but who, at the same time, is partly to blame for some of things that happen. She doesn’t deserve to be treated the way she is but she doesn’t help herself and Mav was able to portray the two sides flawlessly. As an audience member, your feelings towards the character changed from scene to scene, even sometimes from line to line.
I must also mention Liisi Lafontaine as Deena. Starting as the quiet girl in Effie’s shadow to the woman in the spotlight, yet never quite happy and in an emotionally abusive relationship. She shone during Listen and the scene where Effie gives her the courage to leave Curtis, the man who hurt them both, you could hear a pin drop.
Curtis was played effortlessly by Rohan Richards, another understudy who more than deserves a principal role of his own. Curtis is a slimeball, a man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants, ruthless and uncaring. Richards seemed to grow in confidence as the show went on and he made you hate the character.
The secondary story of Jimmy Early, a famous R&B singer who Curtis takes over managing and who, in the end, is ruined, and his affair with the third member of the Dreams, Lorrell, was played out strongly by Adam J Bernard and Asmeret Ghebremichael; particularly in the Ain’t No Party scene, where Lorrell begins to realise that Jimmy will never leave his wife for her. It was really the only scene where Ghebremichael was able to show the true extent of her vocal power, being the backing singer to Effie or Deena for the most part, and I feel the character needs more chance to shine.
Overall, this show provides an amazing night out at the theatre. The choreography is slick and fast paced, the vocals are strong and the entire cast work seamlessly together. For me, this show is a must see and I can't imagine anyone coming away disappointed.