Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. And so they should be.
The West End musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie finally embarked on its delayed and much anticipated UK tour in 2021. I had the absolute privilege of seeing the performance in Leeds Grand Theatre on November 6. Another casualty of Covid and delayed touring productions, I’d originally booked tickets to see the show sometime around summer 2019 – possibly earlier (I asked my mum and even she couldn’t remember when we’d first booked our tickets) – for the summer of 2020. And then November 2020. And, finally, after years of waiting to see the show in person November 2021 came around.
This wasn’t technically the first time I’d seen the production, but it was the first time in person. Back in in 2018 I booked last minute tickets to see a live stream directly from the Apollo Theatre in London. In fact, I think the only reason we decided to book the tickets was because we had Cineworld Unlimited cards and we got the tickets for a fraction of what they were supposed to be. I’d heard of the show, knew a bit about it and knew that it was set in Yorkshire, so I was intrigued. And I was incredibly glad I decided to buy those tickets.
Unfortunately for me, I missed the initial run in Sheffield and instead the show sat on my list of ‘shows I’d like to see on the West End but couldn’t afford’ for a few years. As soon as I saw that Everybody’s Talking About Jamie was going on a UK tour, I got very excited, and convinced my mum and auntie who know literally nothing about drag or queer culture to get tickets with me.
Cue pandemic. Cue delays. Cue me moving down to London. You get the drill.
Admittedly, there was something quite special about seeing the show in Yorkshire over seeing it on the West End. There’s an endless list of musicals set in the North and they always have a special place in my heart. Especially a show that specifically references a city I spent endless weekends in growing up. The more I think about it, the story and the references and jokes, I can’t help but wonder how much of it would be lost on other regional audiences who don’t know the area. If anything, it adds to how funny the jokes are. I don’t think I can name a show that specifically references so many specifics to a city as Jamie does and I’m glad that hasn’t been lost as the show has grown and developed.
I’d also like to take a moment to just say how stunning Leeds Grand is as a theatre. The auditorium is decked in gold and is such a lovely place to see a show. Thinking back over the years I realised I have never actually seen a show there, so that was another nice part of the Jamie experience. If you do ever get a chance to see a performance there, I would highly recommend it.
Now for the thoughts on the show.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is a musical inspired by the BBC documentary Jamie: Drag Queen At 16, which tells the story of a young boy who wants nothing more than to be a drag queen. The plot follows Jamie, the titular character, as he overcomes his own insecurities as well as the external prejudice from his schoolteachers, classmates, and family to embrace his true authentic self. Unlike some modern musicals, the plot is simple and focuses so much more on character development over big plot twists and drama. I believe this is why it resonates with so many people.
The beauty of Jamie is that it is timeless in it’s narrative. I’d even dare to say that it’s a modern-day Billy Elliot. There’s always going to be schools; always going to be teenagers; always going to be teachers who think they’re giving the best advice – but, aren’t. There’s always going to be people who don’t quite understand, but truth and self-belief will always rise above. The parallels between the way Billy Elliot resonated with the LGBT community at the turn of the 21st Century and the way Everybody’s Talking About Jamie resonates with us now – they’re striking.
Because of this timeless nature, it’s super easy to update the story with references to the current state of the world. Personally, I could have done without the reminder of Covid, but I appreciated it and it is an easy joke to throw in there – especially in a school setting. Kids taking the mick about social distancing and wearing masks to their teacher? Absolutely spot on and 100% what my classmates would have been like if Covid had happened when I was in year 11.
I adored the staging of the show, and how seamless the transitions between sets and scenes were. The desks being used as props and additional stage pieces, for some reason I was obsessed with this from the get-go. During And You Don’t Even Know It, pushing the seat part of the desks underneath so it could be transformed into a stage was so in sync that the sound it made became an important part of the orchestra. I also really loved the projections used to indicate scene changes, and how these weren’t just generic shots of a ‘northern town’. We got projections of actual Sheffield, specifically Sheffield Hallam University, which was nice to see. A musical so rooted in the modern age used multimedia to enhance the narrative in a clever way.
When it comes to the cast I have SO much to say about them, to the point where I could probably write a full review just about how much of an absolute powerhouse that Layton Williams (Billy Elliot, Hairspray, Rent) is and still not be satisfied that I’d covered everything. This was the second production that I’d been lucky enough to see him in, seeing his performance in Billy Elliot on the West End many, MANY moons ago. But wow, I was absolutely blown away.
The stage presence that projected from him from the moment he stepped on stage was a sight to see. His energy was infectious, and from the moment that And You Don’t Even Know It started I wanted to get up and join in with the dancing on stage. The star quality that is needed for anyone to play Jamie was there from the moment he opened his mouth to sing. But the beauty of the performance was the transition from the confident, energetic, and bold Jamie to the vulnerable and scared Jamie only a single song later in The Wall in my Head. Now that is talent! Jamie as a character needs that fearless confidence of someone who is willing to get up on stage at 16 and put on a show, but also just desperately wants to be loved and accepted for who he is. I felt like both boxes were successfully ticked, and one side of the character wasn’t stronger than the other.
I also want to give all the credit to Sharan Phull (Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth) for her performance, reprising her role of Priti Pasha for the tour, because that is one talented performer right there. Her vocals were simply beautiful, and every solo performance had the power of a supportive best friend while also having the gentleness that so many queer kids trying to find out and figure out their identity deserve. It’s also very refreshing to see such a prominent character who will always be non-white taking such a key role in the progression of the story. At no point does she fall into the background or become easily forgotten and she is given every opportunity to shine
I think the character of Priti is so important, especially given the way this musical is popular with people of all ages. While she doesn’t quite understand Jamie’s desire to be a drag queen at first, she takes time to listen and hear his side of things. Even though she even admits that she doesn’t quite understand the desire herself, she loves and supports her friend unconditionally.
Shobna Gulati (Grease, Coronation Street) joins the UK tour in the role of Ray, and honestly, she smashes it. Reprising the role, she takes in the 2021 film adaptation; Shobna brings the perfect mixture of comedic flare and serious nurturing instinct to Ray. Every line was met with rounds of laughter and applause, perfectly matching Priti in the level of care shown towards Jamie’s mother as Priti shows towards Jamie. The care doesn’t stop there however, and we see her fiercely defending Jamie at any opportunity that she can, acting as another parental figure in his life.
This is one of the messages I love in Jamie – it really highlights that family isn’t just your blood relatives. A situation familiar with many queer people of all ages, sometimes the people who are supposed to love you unconditionally don’t. But that doesn’t mean that unconditional love can’t be found elsewhere. Family isn’t just those who are related to you by blood, it’s those who show up time and time again and fight your battles alongside you. We see this in Priti, we see this in Ray, and we see this in Over the Top. It’s a great message for those in the audience who might be younger, who fear rejection from their family, or those who are already estranged from their relatives no matter what the reason, that chosen family is just as important as what society sees as a ‘conventional family’.
I must admit, I was somewhat hesitant about Shane Ritchie (Grease, EastEnders) in the role of Hugo/Loco Chanelle. There’s something that always seems a bit ‘pantomime’ about casting big names in productions like this, and naturally there is sometimes a need to bring in bigger names to encourage more casual theatre go-ers to buy tickets. This issue doesn’t end with Shane Richie, but if I were to ask my mum out of the whole cast who she thought the biggest name was she would say him. But considering Shane Richie’s recent stage credits largely consist of pantomime roles, I was concerned that this may come across as more of a gimmick than an appropriate casting choice.
I was pleasantly surprised by his performance. At no point did Hugo seem like he was a character from a panto, and Shane Richie managed to dance the careful line of being ‘camp’ but not ‘too camp’ in a way that would have just been borderline- offensive. His vocals weren’t the strongest in the cast, but I don’t think anyone expected them to be (whether that is a good or a bad thing I have yet to decide). Shane Ritchie stepped back from the role during November and December while doing panto. The role was then taken over by Bianca Del Rio of Drag Race fame. This feels like a more appropriate casting choice, but again whether it’s the right one or simply playing into the big name gimmick I am unsure.
And finally, the other big mention I wanted to write about was Amy Ellen Richardson (Chicago, Les Misérables) in the role of Margaret. I was utterly captivated by her from the moment she began to sing If I Met Myself Again and truly, I’m more shocked that I didn’t cry when I fully expected to be sobbing throughout that whole number. The pain and conflict in her voice was so powerful that, even if you couldn’t relate exactly to the point in the narrative, you could take the feeling of silver-lined regret and apply it to any moment in your life. Accompanied by some stunning contemporary choreography I spent the whole song with goosebumps. He’s My Boy also stunned the audience into complete silence, and it felt almost disrespectful to even consider making a sound during that song. I truly felt blessed to witness such a powerful talent on stage that night.
Given the recent topics of discussion of diversity in the theatre, I feel it would be unfair not to address the diversity in the Jamie cast and how it seems to have remained true to this throughout its evolution. From the lead roles of Jamie and Priti, all the way down to the ensemble cast and swings, we see a mixture of races and backgrounds at every stage in the journey. Not only is this incredibly positive to see, but it’s also actually a very accurate representation of Sheffield and the multicultural melting pot that it finds itself within. Yorkshire is diverse, it is bold, and it is everything that we find in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, and it’s such a relief to see this tradition continue from the West End, to West Yorkshire (and beyond).
I also want to address how this show is about so much more than ‘being a drag artist’. Drag is one form of self-expression, of taking the concept of gender and turning it quite literally into a performance. Sometimes drag can be problematic and playing into harmful stereotypes, but we do not see this take centre stage during this show. Drag is presented as a way of being your true, authentic self. It’s saying that if you want to wear a dress, you can wear a dress. If you want to create a whole new ‘you’ and put on a show, you can do just that.
This is another reason why I think the character of Priti is so important. On paper, she is the exact opposite of Jamie, but right before we jump into It Means Beautiful Priti asks Jamie if he knows why she wears a hijab. She then eloquently explains that this is her way of being her true self. She wears this because she wants to. In the same way that Jamie feels the most authentic when he is outwardly expressing himself, Priti feels most like herself by remaining more reserved and private. I think this is particularly important following Jamie’s assumption that she wears this just because her dad wants her to. Not only are we discussing identity and how this can be expressed in various ways, but we’re also tearing down stereotypes about Islam and its practices. I think this is an incredibly important inclusion and one that can’t be ignored.
The key message in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is that matter how you decide to show up, if you are showing up and being your true authentic self then that is all that matters. The concept of drag is just one aspect of this. We can investigate the concept of gender identity and how this is handled throughout the show, but as a cis woman I don’t feel qualified to say whether the topic is handled or discussed rightly or wrongly. I will say, however, that I do think the ambiguity in the show is very deliberate and important – the audience can read into that statement as much or as little as they choose to, with the ambiguity creating a warm and inclusive environment for all identities. Sure, there are moments that I think haven’t aged well even for a musical that is so new and fresh, but that isn’t for me to decide either. The discussion of gender in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is something reserved for its own piece where thing can be properly dissected and analysed.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie continues it’s UK tour until the 30th April 2022 with a brief trip across the pond where the production will debut in Los Angeles. You can listen to the soundtrack here.
