Hello world! Welcome back to another blog. Today I will be taking you thought my thoughts of An Officer and A Gentleman, which I saw on 31st July 2024 at the theatre royal Nottingham in the afternoon, which was also a present for my dads birthday.
Based on the award-winning 80s movie, here is the synopsis below taken from the official website of the musical itself:
"This timeless story of love, courage, and redemption will make your heart soar and leave you breathless, longing for more. Be part of the emotional journey of Zack Mayo, a fearless young officer candidate, and the captivating Paula Pokrifki, whose fiery spirit matches his own. Their encounters ignite a spark that transcends boundaries, awakening a passionate love that defies all odds."
Luke Baker and Georgia Lennon played the main roles of Zak Mayo and Paula Pokrifki. Their chemistry was just off the chart, and you could see that yes even though the characters haven’t spent long together, it was love at first sight. I can also see that Zak’s father have gave him those limiting beliefs about not being loved or unsuccessful but I’m glad they made up in the end. And for Paula, you could tell that she wanted more than to be a factory girl, pursuing a career in nursing and despite her mums Esther’s protests (played by former X factor contestant Melanie Masson who was also a powerhouse in the show), knowing she just wants what’s best for her daughter, she got the man of her dreams and I feel they’re going to live happily ever after! And their voices in both their duet and solo songs were fantastic!
There are other characters in the show that played a huge part in the production itself. One of which was Sinead Long who played Lynette Pomery and Paula’s best friend. What I liked about this character is that at first she seemed like the good supportive friend and also a good girlfriend to Sid (who I’ll get to later on), but then as soon as I see that she only wants the materialistic things (hence maybe why she sung “Material Girl” which she was brilliant at), she slowly became the number 1 enemy of Paula and Zak. But I’m glad that she and Paula made up in the finale.
Another actor that stood out to me was Jamal Crawford who played Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley. I’d seen him before in Show White where he played Prince William of West Bridgeford. But this is on a completely different level! A perfect example of showing versatility and he really captured the qualities of how a Sargent needs to act and behave. He was even still in character on his curtain call, as instead of bowing he just showed some respect to the audience for watching him perform! And that’s when you know they’re a true professional.
Paul French who played Sid Worley was another stand out for me. He really gave off the character of someone who joined the airforce to prove a point or to break a limiting belief. But slowly after realising it’s not for him, you can see how much he was really struggling. And with the breakdown of his relationship with Lynette, he really took a dark turn. I won’t give away any spoilers but let’s just say the consequences were disastrous.
The final character that stood out to me was Casey Seegar played by Olivia Foster-Browne. She was the definition of girl power, proving all of the men wrong, and with a comedy moment for her to achieve an obstacle (which was genius), she brought everything to the table. Her relationship with Zak was also nice to see as despite a rocky start, she helped him see the true meaning of loyalty. And I feel she had a key part to play in helping mend his relationship with Paula.
One thing I liked about this show was the soundtrack. With it being a film from the 80s it he alot of 80s songs in it. These included "Living On A Prayer" (where they got the audience to join in), "Alone" (which I officially now can’t get out of my head and after the scene that just happened between pups and Zak, I now know the feeling of the song), "I Am Woman", sung my Melanie Masson who was just phenomenal, and of course the iconic "Up Where We Belong". It was also most at the point where I very nearly shed a tear or two (and it’s not very often I do), and despite not seeing the film, I’ve seen references of this iconic scene in other shows. So I’m not unfamiliar with it at all! And after my dad had seen the film, he explained to me why this scene was there. I won’t give it away but after what he said of the meaning, I guess it kind of made sense.
My only downside of the show was where me and my dad were sat. Yes the seating was beyond our control but we didn’t get to see the whine stage so what was going on at the top. But other than that, it was a really good show to see.
Overall I would give the show a solid 4.95. It had everything! From nostalgia, touching moments, moments of comedy, iconic songs and some moments of audience participation. And despite the seating and not being able to see the whole stage it was a good day and a brilliant birthday present for my dad (who also thoroughly enjoyed it). And as you can see from the image below, I had a blast but also worn out from all of that singing to myself in the theatre. Lol!
If you’re an 80s fan and want to see this show, then please see the link below of when you can see the show at a theatre near you. But be quick as you have until 9th November 2024 to see this magnificent show
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