Five and a half years ago the guys and gals of small-town Beaumont, Texas had their lives changed when 4 locals died in a car crash whilst returning from an out of town dance event.

Since then dancing has become outlawed in this Bible Belt area and instead the locals watch re-runs of the Dukes of Hazzard and Little House on the Prairie.

It’s up to the new kid in town, Ren McCormack (played by Derek Hough) to persuade the locals that the law must be changed as dancing is everyone’s right. Besides, even God asked us all to dance.

Of course there is the love angle too, for our Ren falls for the very pretty Ariel Moore (played by Lorna Want). To add to our poor Ren’s already uphill struggle, the person most opposed to dancing is Ariel’s father, Reverend Shaw Moore. It’ll take a lot of praying to convince him to change the law.

This stage spectacular runs pretty much like the original movie. Of course there’s no Kevin Bacon nor is there a younger Sarah Jessica Parker but there is plenty of singing and dancing and bright 80s America costumes.

The singing is certainly one of the high points of the show, watch out for Ariel’s school buddy Rusty (played by Stevie Tate-Bauer) who takes the Golden Goblet for singing talent as she strikes all the right chords on Let’s Hear it for the Boy. The whole cast had tremendous voices and couldn’t be flawed.

Derek Hough was superb in his role as Ren both as a dancer and singer. Moving across the stage step-perfect this American born performer can also be seen on George Michael’s video Round Here. He is a former World Champion Latin American dancer as well as LA Underground Outstanding Dancer of the Year.

Lorna Want aka Ariel played the role of Cosette in Les Miserable and among her many other roles she has played in Doctors and Holby City for the BBC.

If the movie made you want to get up and dance in front of the living room then this show will do exactly the same. Definitely worth the visit.

Footloose – the Musical plays at the Novello theatre – NOW!

Novello Theatre
Aldwych, London, WC2B 4LD

Box Office: 0870 950 0935

Performances:
Monday – Thursday 7.45pm,
Friday 5.30pm & 8.30pm
Saturday 3pm & 7.45pm

Ticket Prices: Stalls ?15.00-45.00, concessions available

Running time: Two hours and twenty minutes including interval.