Manchester Theatre News & Reviews

REVIEW - Scouts The Musical is topsy-turvy terrific fun for all to enjoy!

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On Wednesday, we were invited to Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester to see Scouts The Musical. Read what our reviewer Karen Ryder thought about this great show...

Cards on the table, I was never in any of the uniformed groups as a child. I did try Rainbows one time, but it was mutually decided that my enthusiasm would be better placed elsewhere after I’d tried to re-choreograph one of their gang show dances! Whilst I continued to learn many fabulous things in my dance classes and spent my weekends training or competing, my friends were busy learning practical skills, earning badges, and spending weekends away camping. There is no denying the immeasurable positive impact that uniformed groups can offer, and this message is the beating heart of Scouts The Musical. This small but mighty cast guide us through the annual scout games, where scouts from around the world all come together to compete their skills to win the golden scout badge. As we go through the various heats, which involve music, dance, and drawing a self-portrait, it is the perfect opportunity for us to meet the happy campers. But it seems that not all of them are happy after all. Eliza needs to learn there is more to life than being the best, Joe just wants to make some friends and be accepted for who he is, and Charlotte needs to let go of the past to create her future. Cue a dastardly dose of sabotage, and Charlotte soon has fellow competitors, and even the local pensioners hypnotised and under her spell. Will they do her bidding for her? Will she succeed in winning the competition, take revenge and ruin the good name of the scouts forever? Or will Eliza and Joe be prepared and prove what being a scout is really about - teamwork and friendship.

As the show begins with a voiced over narrator, it creates the start of a running joke that is taken opportunity of throughout the show, ensuring she pops up at random moments. The music kicks in with a live band, and we’re off. It quickly becomes clear that these six strong main casts members are crazy talented, for within moments we see them singing, dancing, playing instruments, and even switching instruments with each other. This continues throughout the show without a beat being missed. It really is something to behold. And the vocal skills are outstanding! As the show moves into the competition part of the story, three audience members (and real-life scouts) are brought up to be a part of the show, adding an interactive element. These three young people handled being thrust into the limelight with applaudable courage, grace, and humour. Having an interactive element so early in the show did impact the pace a little. It had only just got started and yet it was bravely adding an unknown quantity into the mix. A daring and brave choice, and one that adds a beautiful uniqueness to the show, but I do feel it would have greater success towards the end of Act one or in the second act, giving Scouts The Musical a chance to firmly establish itself with the audience and appreciate the hard-working cast.

The music, by David Fallon, is brilliant. Each performer is given a moment to shine, and there are some great break out songs that will stay with you in all the best possible ways. There are so many musical styles covered too, from power ballads to rock anthems, rock n roll to rap, with flavours of blues to boogie. The songs and lyrics are clever, catchy and crazy good! ‘I Have Skills’ was an earworm song that is living rent free in my mind even as I write this review, with brilliant comedic skills from Katie Pritchard as Rosie, ranging from card tricks to mind reading. Eleanor Fransch and Burhan Kathawala share a beautiful duet with ‘Home’ that continues to return with musical motifs throughout as a reminder of friendship. Emily Kitchingham gets the theatre moving with her infectiously rocking ‘Trance Dance,’ complete with moves you can’t help but join in with. Eleanor Fransch wows again with her heartfelt rendition of ‘Braver,’ whilst other songs such as ‘Show Me The Ropes’ make their mark, and the finale will leave you stunned at the utterly delicious vocal harmonies. With book and lyrics written by Sam Cochrane who also directs, this is a show that mixes humour with heart and does not take itself too seriously. In fact, at times, it is totally bonkers, as brain washed grannies mob scout leader Dylan over some werther’s originals, ex scout and famous naturist Linus Lionheart grows back a dismembered hand, and a gazoo and a recorder are played simultaneously! But this ability to be light-hearted whilst full of heart is the key to Scout’s The Musical’s success. It’s an invitation to have fun! This hooks in both the younger audience and the grown-ups too, appealing to all ages in equal measure. With an empty stage apart from the band and a few tree stumps, the cast make full use of the space, even encroaching on the audience and cutting down that fourth wall for firewood!

Katie Pritchard as Rosie brought the giggles to this Giggle Mug Comedy production tenfold. She just had funny bones and a simple move, look, or deadpan delivery flexed against the perfect intonation brought the house down time after time. My friend actually choked on her drink at one point she was laughing so much! I wasn’t worried though, we were amongst many scouts with life saving skills after all! Eleanor Fransch as Eliza had stunning and passionate vocals that gave me goosebumps and her range was incredible. Burhan Kathawala as Joe played his part just right, endearing and vulnerable without him ever crossing the line into us pitying him. His rapping skills were fabulous too. Emily Kitchingham is our villain of the hour as Charlotte (or Fay K Name) and switched it up to give us a suave, smooth and sophisticated evil, tinged with a hint of unpredictability, making her a joy to watch. Kemi Clarke is our enthusiastic scout leader Dylan who definitely spoke directly to the various scout leaders in the audience, with his text and subtext both given the space to speak loud and clear – “I am here! I am loving it! I want to provide amazing opportunities for you all, but this is exhaustingly hard work and I’m not 100% sure I know what I’m doing at any given point because there is so much to balance! Oh, and I’m doing it all for free!” Rob Gathercole effortlessly switches it up between Luke and Linus Lionheart, giving us bouncy boy scout one minute, and larger than life TV personality the next. His energy seemed endless and was a definitely a driving force throughout the whole show and provide a brilliant comedy moment involving fungus! Heather Gourdie makes cameo appearances as the Narrator, and she takes her moment each and every time, making us giggle with her desire to switch up the mood.

I had no preconception of what to expect with Scouts The Musical, and I’m glad because it beats to the tune of its own carefully crafted drum. It is not a big budget show by any means, but neither does it pretend to be, allowing sheer talent to take centre stage. It is daft, it is experimental, and it is topsy-turvy terrific fun. So ‘be prepared’ to have family fun with Scouts The Musical for they have upheld their scout promise and have absolutely done their best.

WE SCORE SCOUTS THE MUSICAL...