Becoming Nancy, which has had its UK premiere at Birmingham Rep, is a musical adaptation of Terry Ronald’s novel, directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell.
Becoming Nancy follows the story of David Starr, a talented sixth-former in 1979 East Dulwich who is unexpectedly cast as Nancy in his school’s production of Oliver!. The unconventional casting causes a stir among David’s peers, family, and teachers, as everyone around him forms strong opinions about his suitability for the role. As David navigates this challenging period of self-discovery, he turns to his pragmatic best friend Frances and his co-star Maxie, the enigmatic captain of the football team, for support. The musical explores David’s journey to find his voice, assert his identity, and confront the societal expectations that seek to define him, all against the backdrop of first love and friendship.
Unfortunately, the show struggles to rise above the typical gay coming-of-age tropes that are all too familiar in recent media, drawing inevitable comparisons to shows like Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and the immensely popular Heartstopper. While it has a similar premise and aims to explore themes of identity, love, and friendship, the execution leaves much to be desired. It rides on the success of these stories in recent years – it’s not a surprise, therefore, that the romantic leads have the same hairstyles as Heartstopper’s Joe Locke and Kit Connor.
The musical’s approach to its key issues—sexuality, gender roles, and societal norms—is far from subtle. Instead, it opts for a heavy-handed, often cringeworthy, and clichéd exploration of these topics. While tackling such important themes can be poignant, Becoming Nancy often lacks the nuance needed to provide fresh insights. The writing is shallow and fails to develop its characters or their arcs in a meaningful way. As a result, the story meanders like a novel, yet the journey offers little in terms of growth or revelation. Characters such as David’s sister, who appear to serve no real purpose, end up feeling pointless, further weakening the narrative.
Musically, the show falls flat. The score, composed by George Stiles with lyrics by Anthony Drewe, lacks identity and coherence. While each character is given a song, this results in bland, forgettable numbers that don’t propel the plot or deepen character development. Tracks like Where Do We Go From Here? feel especially irrelevant and generic, adding to the sense of disconnection. The show lacks a signature musical “sound,” and none of the songs stand out enough to be memorable.
The choreography, however, does offer some bright moments, particularly during The Play’s the Thing. Here, the interaction between the school’s drama club and sports team is cleverly interwoven, creating an engaging and dynamic scene. Unfortunately, these standout moments are few and far between, and the ensemble is often used sporadically, appearing in group numbers and then disappearing with little purpose.
Set design by David Rockwell and TJ Greenway presents another missed opportunity. While the concept is intriguing, the stage design feels underutilized, with some scenes appearing cramped or restrained. The projection design, in particular, is disappointing, suffering from poor integration with the set and issues with visibility, especially for audience members not seated centrally. This flaw is particularly noticeable in Birmingham Rep’s auditorium, where the projections visibly cut off, reducing the visual impact.
Despite these setbacks, there are some strong performances from individual cast members. Joseph Peacock’s portrayal of David is promising, although his character is limited by the writing. Francis, played by Paige Peddie, has a standout voice but is let down by the weak character development. Special mention must go to the performances of Kath Starr/Blondie (Rebecca Trehearn) and Aunt Val/Kate Bush (Genevieve Nicole), whose character work brings much-needed energy and gravitas to the show.
In conclusion, Becoming Nancy feels like a “paint by numbers” musical, hitting familiar beats without adding anything new to the genre. The show is undermined by weak writing, a lacklustre score, and missed opportunities in design. While it may have the potential to evolve, in its current form, it’s a disjointed and underwhelming experience.
Becoming Nancy plays at the Birmingham Rep until the 2nd November 2024.
Photography throughout from Mark Senior.
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