Everybody’s Talking About Jamie

This weekend was the wonderful theatre club – one of the highlights in the day every six months.

It was my turn to book the show. Always a joy, but sometimes I put a little bit too much pressure on myself – worrying about if the seats are okay, and if we will both enjoy the show. However, this time I was pretty sure that my choice was going to be a sure-fire success. I had heard great reviews of the show and, having watched the most recent trailer, thought it looked like a lot of fun.

So, on a surprisingly sunny afternoon in February, we arrived at the Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue to see ‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’. I was excited , as I had seen Layton Williams had taken on the role of Jamie (and my Mum had muttered something about Shane Ritchie being in the cast).

So, the show is based on the true story of Jamie Campbell who has the ambition of becoming a drag queen and a star. He was also the subject of ‘Jamie: Drag Queen at 16’, a 2011 BBC Three documentary.

The show follows the story of Jamie New wanting to come out as a drag queen. We see Jamie start his journey to create his persona, wanting to attend his school prom in a dress and the struggles if not always being accepted for who you are. This is a show with all the emotions – you laugh and you will cry, and really reflect on the society that we live in. A lady spoke to us at the end (she was with her son) to say that seeing it as a mother had her in tears.

Jamie (Layton Williams) is clearly the star of the show, but it is a real ensemble piece. Every single person on the stage brings every second of the musical to life. The songs are wonderful – dare you not to cry through a couple – the script is full of laughs, and all the choreography and music are marvellous. This is standing ovations stuff and, by the end, it is simply one giant party.

‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’ is a musical that everyone should go and see; it really is a five star production!