MusicalLatestReviewsFame The Musical

A Fresh, Fearless Reinvention. Big Dreams, Big Voices, Big Heart.

Fame The Musical is back at Theatre Royal Plymouth, and this bold new production gives the iconic musical a fresh lease of life, proving that this much-loved story still has plenty to say to a modern audience.

When audiences hear the words Fame The Musical, most will instantly think of one song. The title number has become synonymous with big dreams, bigger dance routines and generations of performers hoping to make their mark. Yet beneath the infectious score lies a story that has always been about far more than fame itself. That is precisely what makes Theatre Royal Plymouth’s new production so intriguing.

For Theatre Royal Plymouth, this is far more than another revival. It is an opportunity to introduce one of musical theatre’s most recognisable titles to a new generation while offering long-time fans a fresh perspective on a much-loved classic.

It is exactly 30 years since Fame The Musical launched right here in Plymouth, and now it has returned to Theatre Royal Plymouth reinvented, reimagined and ready to make its mark all over again. With the theatre buzzing and expectations understandably high, the question was whether this bold new production could live up to the legacy of what came before while carving out an identity of its own.

Copyright: Banner and Production images: Johan Persson

We were delighted to have been invited to Press night and the Grand Opening of Fame The Musical on Tuesday 4 August 2026 by Theatre Royal Plymouth.

A New Vision for Fame The Musical

One of the greatest strengths of this production is its willingness to look forwards rather than backwards. Under the direction and choreography of Tom Jackson Greaves, Theatre Royal Plymouth has resisted the temptation to simply recreate the Fame audiences already know, instead embracing a contemporary approach that places storytelling, character and movement firmly at its heart.

The production moves with confidence and purpose, allowing music, movement and drama to flow naturally together. Rather than existing as isolated set pieces, the musical numbers become an extension of the narrative, reinforcing the hopes, fears and ambitions of the students as they navigate their training.

Without losing the energy audiences expect from Fame The Musical, this new production demonstrates a genuine desire to uncover new emotional depth within familiar material. It feels like a production that understands that the best way to honour a classic is not necessarily to recreate it, but to allow it to evolve and grow.

A Cast Full of Ambition

The ensemble brings the energy required to make that world believable, and there is certainly no shortage of talent on this stage. In fact, it is difficult to imagine a better-cast company, with every performer bringing something distinctive to the mix while working together with the kind of energy and commitment that makes the whole ensemble feel completely convincing.

There is a real sense of collective commitment to the production, particularly during the larger musical and dance numbers. The company has to maintain an extraordinary level of physical and vocal energy while also giving each character enough individuality to prevent the ensemble from becoming a sea of interchangeable faces.

Among the company, Edwin Ray as Mr Bell deserves particular mention. He brings a strong presence to the role, creating a character who feels entirely at home within the world of the school. We particularly loved his believeable emotion for protecting Tyrone Jackon and a battle with Miss Sherman in “The teachers’ argument“. His performance adds another layer to the students’ journey, providing an important adult perspective within a story dominated by youthful ambition.

Then there is Amenik Melaco as Tyronne Jackson, whose physical performance is impossible to ignore. His dance is captivating, but what makes the portrayal particularly impressive is that the movement never feels separate from the character. Melaco uses his physicality to communicate Tyronne’s personality, energy and emotion, creating a performance that is both technically accomplished and dramatically engaging.

There is a real confidence in his portrayal, and every time he takes to the stage there is an immediate sense that something is about to happen. Amenik Melaco delivers an exceptional performance as Tyronne Jackson, making him one of the company’s most memorable performers.

And then there is Megan Ellis as Serena Katz, who delivers one of my favourite musical moments of the entire production.

“Let’s play a love scene“ provides Ellis with an opportunity to step away from the larger ensemble energy and really let Serena’s character shine, and she takes it. There is an emotional honesty to her performance that makes the number feel intimate and deeply personal, allowing the audience to connect with Serena rather than simply admire the vocal performance.

For me, Let’s play a love scene is another of those moments that stays with you after the curtain comes down. Megan Ellis brings a beautiful vulnerability to Serena, and the number becomes one of the musical highlights of the evening.

These individual performances are important because they demonstrate exactly what this production needs from its company. Fame The Musical is an ensemble story, but within that ensemble there are plenty of performers capable of stepping forward and making their mark.

And Then There Is Miss Sherman …

Every school needs a teacher who can command a room, in this production, Shanay Holmes certainly does.

Holmes brings a wonderful authority to the role, immediately establishing Miss Sherman as someone who expects the very best from her students while understanding the extraordinary pressures they are under. The role could easily become little more than the stern headteacher standing between the students and their dreams, but Holmes gives the character considerably more depth.

What makes this performance particularly memorable is the balance between authority and humanity. There is humour where it is needed, warmth where it matters and a real sense that Miss Sherman has seen generations of ambitious young performers walk through those doors.

Her presence gives the school itself a sense of history and credibility, while also providing a useful counterbalance to the youthful energy exploding around her.

But it is during “These are my children“ that Shanay Holmes truly commands the stage.

Her performance is both gut-wrenching and powerful, delivering one of the most emotionally charged moments of the production. The only thing that may have made the scene even more emotional would have been to have Holmes positioned above the students, or at least with them within her eyeline, allowing the full weight of that moment to be shared between teacher and pupils, she does however, appear to be keeping a watching eye over the students throughout which is a wonderfully heartfelt touch.

That said, this is a small staging observation within what was, for me, one of the standout moments of the entire production.

Holme’s voice has beautifully rich, velvet tones, and she hits every note with precision. More importantly, she makes you believe every word. There is an honesty to the performance that cuts through the spectacle and lands directly with the audience.

For me, Shanay Holmes is the standout performer of Fame The Musical.

The Choreography

Movement has always been central to Fame The Musical, and this production certainly embraces that. There is an impressive physicality to the choreography, with the company throwing themselves into some demanding routines with considerable commitment and skill.

However, this was also an area where, for me, the production occasionally felt a little disjointed. Some of the transitions between scenes and musical numbers lacked the natural flow you might expect, and there were moments when we found ourselves questioning the placement of some of the longer dance sequences.

Rather than always driving the story forward, some of these routines felt as though they had been placed into the production because the opportunity was there to showcase the company’s considerable dancing ability, which we cannot deny is impeccable. In doing so, they occasionally interrupted the pace of the storytelling rather than enhancing it.

This was particularly noticeable in some of the bigger numbers, where Fame The Musical should naturally gather momentum and really take flight. Instead, the longer dance sections sometimes slowed that momentum, taking away from the pace and energy that the larger musical numbers should deliver.

That is not to say the choreography isn’t impressive. Far from it. The company is undeniably talented, and the physical demands of the production are considerable. There are moments when the movement is thrilling and the sheer ability of the performers is undeniable.

For me, however, the question was not whether the company could dance, they unquestionably can but whether every routine needed to be quite as long as it was. A little more restraint in places may have allowed the bigger numbers and the story to land with even greater impact and helped the overall production maintain the pace and momentum that Fame The Musical demands.

And then there is “Hot Lunch“.

If there is one moment that had the audience buzzing, it is Hot Lunch.

The number delivers exactly the kind of infectious energy you want from Fame The Musical, bringing together the company’s youthful enthusiasm, impressive choreography and sense of fun. It is one of those sequences where you can feel the audience leaning into the production, and it earns its place as one of the evening’s most memorable moments. For the Matinée Dog, this one gets a very big tail wag.

The Set Works Its Magic

Theatre Royal Plymouth has earned an enviable reputation for ambitious in-house productions, and Fame The Musical continues that tradition with a creative vision that feels both contemporary and accessible.

One of the real triumphs of the production is the use of the revolve. It may sound like a relatively simple piece of stagecraft, but here it becomes an incredibly effective storytelling tool, transporting the audience from one location to another with such ease that the transitions barely register.

One moment we are immersed in the classroom and, moments later, the stage has transformed around the performers, taking us into another part of the students’ world without ever breaking the flow of the story.

It is a deceptively clever use of the stage. Rather than lengthy scene changes interrupting the action, the revolve keeps everything moving, allowing the production to shift location with a fluidity that perfectly complements the energy of Fame The Musical. It also gives the set a sense of scale, creating an ever-changing environment that makes the audience feel as though we are moving through the students’ lives alongside them.

The result is a production that feels impressively seamless. The revolve, combined with the lighting, costumes and wider scenic design, continually transforms the stage and helps transport us from one location to the next without ever making the mechanics of the theatre feel intrusive.

That sense of transformation is particularly effective in a show about young performers constantly moving between different worlds: students in a classroom, artists in rehearsal and performers dreaming of the stage. The set reflects that journey beautifully.

When Fame Isn’t Quite Famous Enough

There is, however, one element of Fame The Musical that left me wanting just a little more.

For a show whose title song is arguably one of the most recognisable musical theatre numbers of all time, Fame itself is surprisingly underused within the production. The iconic number makes only a brief appearance during Act One, woven into a medley alongside other songs, before disappearing from the show until after the curtain call.

It is an interesting creative choice, and one that I can understand. This is a reimagined production rather than a Fame greatest hits concert, and there is a clear desire to allow the wider story and its characters to take centre stage rather than relying on the familiarity of the title number.

But, if I’m being completely honest, I was left wanting more.

When those instantly recognisable opening notes arrive, there is an immediate frisson of excitement in the auditorium, only for the moment to be over almost as quickly as it began. For a musical called Fame The Musical, there is something slightly disappointing about the title song not having a more significant place within the story itself.

The full number finally returns during the curtain call, where it delivers exactly the kind of joyous, celebratory release you would expect. The audience is ready for it, the company is clearly having fun with it and suddenly the theatre is filled with the Fame we all came expecting, you’ll be humming it all the way home.

Perhaps that is exactly the point of the choice. By holding the song back until the curtain call, the production avoids allowing its most famous number to overshadow everything else. Yet I couldn’t help wondering whether giving Fame its own big moment within the production would have provided an even more satisfying payoff.

It is a small criticism, but an important one. When you have an anthem as powerful and recognisable as Fame, sometimes you want to let it have its moment in the spotlight, at the heart of the story. For me, this was the one musical choice that didn’t quite hit the high note I was hoping for.

When the Pieces Don’t Quite Come Together

There is clearly a huge amount of ambition behind this production. The direction, choreography, lighting, set and movement are all working hard to create something that feels fresh and contemporary, but occasionally it feels as though the production is trying just a little too hard to remind us that this is a reinvention.

There are moments where the individual elements are impressive in their own right, yet they don’t always feel as though they are working together quite as seamlessly as they could. The result is a production that can occasionally feel slightly over-staged, when actually the strength of the story and its characters is more than enough to carry the audience.

The lighting was one area where this was particularly noticeable on press night. From my position in the auditorium, the follow spots appeared frequently to be just a fraction behind the action, or searching for the performer they were intended to highlight. Rather than drawing the eye towards the performance, there were moments when the lighting itself became a distraction, as the audience could see the spot attempting to find its mark.

It may sound like a small technical detail, but in a production so heavily reliant on movement and visual energy, precision matters. When the lighting is perfectly timed, it enhances a performance almost invisibly; when it is slightly out of sync, you become aware of the mechanics of the theatre rather than remaining immersed in the story.

This was particularly noticeable because so much of the production is otherwise impressively slick. The revolve moves with remarkable ease, the choreography is demanding and energetic, and the company commits wholeheartedly to the world being created around them. At its best, everything clicks. On press night, however, there were moments when the production felt as though it was still finding that final level of polish.

That is perhaps understandable for a new production, particularly one attempting such an ambitious reinvention of a well-known musical. There is plenty here to admire, but sometimes less really could be more.

And when the production trusts its performers and allows the story to breathe, it is at its strongest.

Why Fame Still Matters

One of the most surprising aspects of this revival is just how contemporary Fame The Musical feels.

The pursuit of artistic success has changed dramatically since the musical first premiered 30 years ago, yet the emotions remain strikingly familiar. Self-doubt, ambition, friendship, rejection and the desire to find your place in the world continue to resonate with audiences of all ages. Theatre Royal Plymouth recognises those universal themes and allows them to shine through, ensuring this production is about far more than simply revisiting a well-known title.

That approach transforms Fame from a nostalgic favourite into a story that feels relevant once more.

The Final Bark 🐾

The challenge with reviving an iconic musical is deciding whether to preserve the past or create something new. Theatre Royal Plymouth has clearly chosen the latter, offering a production that honours the legacy of Fame The Musical while giving audiences fresh reasons to fall in love with it all over again.

Thirty years after Fame The Musical first launched in Plymouth, there is something rather fitting about seeing it return home in such a different form. This is not a production content to live in the shadow of what came before. It has its own identity, its own energy and its own ambitions.

There are moments of spectacular choreography, infectious musical numbers and an ensemble that throws itself wholeheartedly into the world of the show. There are also quieter moments where the production reminds us that beneath the dancing and the dreams are young people trying to work out who they are and whether they have what it takes to succeed.

If Fame is about chasing dreams, Theatre Royal Plymouth has certainly aimed high.

Thirty years on, Fame is back where it belongs and this time, it’s reinvented.

Booking through to Saturday 15 August 2026 there is still time to catch this reimagined musical before… who knows where it will end. Book your tickets here.