FAME The Musical – Theatre Royal Plymouth until 15th August 2026

Review: P Alexander 4th August2026

I first discovered Fame! The Musical back in 1995 with the European Premiere at Theatre Royal Plymouth and loved the feel and excitement of the tv series that had somehow been transferred to the stage. Since then I have seen 5 or 6 productions, the last in 2009, each one seeming more and more tired. So here I am in 2026 trekking back to Plymouth to see the latest production, back where it all started. But this time Theatre Royal has the advantage of TR2 where the production has been carefully assembled over the past few months. Tom Jackson Greaves, the director and choreographer has been able to develop the production in a way that reignites all the energy, enthusiasm, disappointments and hopes which are part of every day life at New York City’s High School of Performing Arts.

Entering the auditorium we immediately get the sense that we have somehow crossed the Atlantic leaving Plymouth far behind, becoming bystanders in a New York street. Smoke drifted from subway vents, graffiti framed the towering set, and suddenly we were standing on the streets of 1980s New York. The scene is set and ready for this production of Fame The Musical to take us to new levels which reflect street life in the eighties which are, cleverly, as relevant today, where success is measured in followers and what we might be willing to sacrifice to be seen?

Jose Fernandez’s original script offers us snapshots rather than full pictures. The story spans four years at New York City’s High School of Performing Arts, and explores the exhilarating highs and devastating lows of pursuing ambitions, which can make you or break you in moments. One of the issues with previous productions is that the script barely pauses to give us the insight into the characters and that often leads to more questions than answers. However, the magic of this production is that the direction of Tom Jackson Greaves ensures that those gaps apparent in previous productions are carefully filled by the performers and creative team. Every dance sequence tells the story the dialogue can’t, with emotions left unsaid finding their way into the movement, glances and choreography, allowing the audience to understand the characters in ways the words never quite managed. The ensemble becomes the heart of the production, moving almost as one, carrying us effortlessly from scene to scene. The transitions are slick, yet unhurried, allowing the narrative to flow naturally from one moment to the next. There is an infectious energy that ripples across the stage.

Unusually the entire company understand the intentions of the director and each bring a brilliant performance to their character. Shanay Holmes as Miss Sherman demanded our attention through quiet authority alone, even before she sang. Simply walking across the stage commanded dignity, whilst her powerful vocals left me bedazzled. Amonik Melaco communicates Tyrone Jackson’s storyline with an astonishing amount movement with his dancing carrying the weight that the script struggled to articulate, telling us about his years of frustration, resilience and hope in every phrase of the choreography. Megan Ellis’s Serena Katz possessed both sweetness and quiet determination. Talia Palamathanan’s Carmen Diaz was perhaps the production’s greatest surprise. At first I found myself hoping for a little more hunger – for that dangerous obsession with fame that defines Carmen’s character. But by the final act, she had completely won me over. Her final scenes were heartbreakingly vulnerable, transforming Carmen from an aspiring star into a young woman crushed beneath the very dream she had spent years chasing.

Another true stroke of genius is the revolving set. Rather than interrupting the momentum with lengthy scene changes, it keeps the story constantly moving. Characters appear almost before I’d realised the previous scene had ended, reflecting the relentless pace of the performing arts world. There is nowhere to hide. Lighting designer Richard Howell echoed this beautifully. Warm amber washes and stark white lighting grounded us firmly in reality, whilst richer purples and heightened theatrical lighting only emerged when characters disappeared into fantasies of fame and success. Carmen Diaz’s “There She Goes” provided perhaps the clearest example, transporting both Carmen and the audience into the dazzling illusion of celebrity before seamlessly transitioning into the iconic title number.

Soutra Gilmour’s costumes remain wonderfully rooted in the eighties – feast of leg warmers, oversized silhouettes and enough lycra and shorts over tracksuit bottoms to make kids of that decade proud. However, more importantly this production subtly follows each character’s journey and for once allows us, the audience, to share with them that its not for fame itself, but it is also the cost of wanting it. Beneath the leg warmers and jazz shoes lies a story about identity, belonging and the impossible balancing act between becoming the person the world wants you to be and holding onto who you already are.

It might have taken 30 years to get here but at last we have Fame! The Musical as it should be. I urge you to get to see this show before it disappears on the 15^th August – it deserves a major West End opening and if that’s not possible a significant UK tour. It really is ‘one not to be missed’.