Royal Shakespeare theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
A resplendent cast sing the praises of self-expression in Mark Ravenhill’s adaptation of the feelgood football novel
The boy who defies tribal expectations is becoming a recurrent theme in the British musical. First came Billy Elliot, then Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, and now the RSC gives us a show based on David Walliams’ 2008 bestseller, adapted by Mark Ravenhill, with music and lyrics by Robbie Williams, Guy Chambers and Chris Heath. The result is a cheerful, tuneful celebration of the desire to be different that could easily replicate the popularity of its predecessors.
Walliams-watchers will hardly need to be reminded of the story. It focuses on the 12-year-old Dennis, who is star striker in the school football team but whose life changes when he covertly buys a copy of Vogue. His purchase is prompted by the cover shot of a woman who reminds him of his mum, who has left home. Dennis’s fascination with fashion starts a friendship with a much-fancied schoolmate, Lisa James, who persuades him to try on an orange sequinned dress she has designed. He looks at himself in the mirror with wonder. He never looks back.
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