Dreamgirls takes to the stage of Glasgow’s Kings Theatre to entertain an audience with classic songs, heartbreak and redemption.
Tom Eyen’s Dreamgirls is a beautiful musical loved by millions for its wonderful story of the trials and tribulations of The Dreams, a trio that went from rising backing singers to world famous phenomenons. The music by Henry Krieger is known around the globe and is still among everyone’s favourite playlists.
Casey Nicholaw had a set direction for the story and the use of staging and it was executed very well. The play had a great flow to it and with Tim Hatley’s fantastic set design and Hugh Vanstone’s great lighting design, this allowed the set to be moved and changed with ease allowing the acting to continue at a good pace even with transitions between scenes, steering away from blackouts and moments of silence and utilising the live band for transitional music whilst actors disappeared and reappeared in a matter of seconds. Nicholaw’s choreography was also fantastic, giving great visuals and a creative mix of contemporary dance, jazz and acrobats.
Sharlene Hector is an absolute powerhouse of a performer. Her portrayal of Effie White had the audience glued to her anytime she was on stage. From acting to singing, Hector can do it all and makes it look like a breeze. Hector’s acting was phenomenal, showcasing her versatility through the play and having a great understanding of Effie’s emotional journey and you could tell she knew exactly what to feel and how to get the audience to feel with her every step of the way. Hector’s chemistry with every cast member was fantastic, however, it felt so real with fellow actor and on stage partner Matt Mills – Curtis Taylor Jr. Their chemistry allowed a sense of realism in the story and made the audience more invested. Hector’s singing was, of course, unbelievable – showing the viewers her full ability with softer tones and then belts, runs and melodic singing. Her rendition of the famous And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going blew the house down, getting a well deserved standing ovation for the song alone. Hector added a lot more physical emotion to the song, using cracks and breaks in her voice to depict the hurt the character is feeling. This added even more power to the song, although maybe the iconic belt towards the end of the song could have been a moment to remove the cracks and just hit the audience with raw power and ability.
Brandon Lee Sears honestly has the role of Jimmy Early nailed down to a tee. The charisma that oozes from Sears is next to none. He brings comedy, brilliant singing and dancing and a great representation of the characters’ fall from grace. Sears has such a comfortability with the character that he can do anything on stage and the audience will lap it up as they can’t take their eyes away from him. Sears voice has a kind of hollowness to it in the best way possible, his off-melody style of singing works well for the character and his range gives a shock factor when he goes from singing on key to running up 2-3-4 octaves whilst making it look effortless. One of the highlights of this is I Mean You No Harm/The Rap. Sears gave no expression during the first half of the song whilst singing incredibly, making the audience die laughing, showing how good his voice really is, then breaking into the Rap to bring the atmosphere back up and hit the viewers with his unique charisma.
The off-melody singing that some of the cast were doing worked for the majority of the numbers and that does go to show how comfortable and experimental the cast are getting with the show. However, there were a few moments that it almost backfired. Whether it be sounding a little off or it almost ran into the next line and made it sound slightly rushed. Also, with the orchestra being loud and sometimes maybe a bit too loud, the vocals at times faded into the background, this seemed to be rectified as the show progressed but it was noticeable at the beginning.
Natalie Kassanga was great as Deena Jones. She had a lovely softness to her which allowed Kassanga to grow through the show and create a great build to her more powerful moments. Her voice was amazing and she showed a good variety in her vocal ability, using different tones and techniques.
Matt Mills as Curtis Jackson Jr was exceptional. Mills embodied the role and created the perfect amount of tension and aggression when the scene needed it. Mills had a great voice and stole the show with his authoritative demeanor. He had the audience in the palm of his hand and his chemistry onstage with his fellow cast members allowed for some very authentic feeling moments that made for a great scene and show overall.
Shem Omari James had a very good character arc and journey as C.C. White. James gave C.C a warm, caring aura and these characteristics gave James the platform to make C.C more fragile and shut off when it came to the confrontation unfolding. But this approach allowed for a great character arc from the betrayal of his sister Effie to going behind Curtis’ back and then standing up to him with a more aggressive and powerful attitude which gave the audience a great pay off for the storyline. This was all down to a distinguished understanding of the character’s story and fantastic acting skills.
Paige Peddie was hilarious as the ditsy, sassy Lorrell Robinson. Her comedic timing was perfect in every scene and her physical comedy was spot on. Peddie had a fantastic voice that she rightfully got to showcase in Ain’t No Party. Her acting and chemistry with Sears was so natural and it added so much to their relationship in the play and grew with them in the story.
Jo Servi was great as Marty. His voice was very soulful and powerful and his authoritative but loving nature got the audience behind him. He is an incredible actor and highlighted his range of skill from start to finish.
Brianna Ogunbawo had a brilliant voice in her role as Michelle Morris. Her strong attitude added some power behind the character but she also showed her kind-heartedness as the story progressed with the likes of Effie White.
The ensemble was incredible from the off. Their chorus vocals and harmonies were beautifully executed and the choreography was eye-catching for everyone in the building. They carried the extra elements of the story wonderfully and with a big ensemble, they used the stage very well and made every scene they were involved in feel more and more grand.
In conclusion, Dreamgirls was a fun-filled night of beautiful storytelling and powerhouse vocals. The brilliant cast and crew brought a fantastic story to life and left the audience desperate to run home and listen to the soundtrack over and over again.
Get tickets for ‘Dreamgirls’ at Glasgow King’s Theatre here:
https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/dreamgirls/kings-theatre-glasgow/calendar/
Theatre Scotland 
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