Hot Stuff (Leicester)
More than a decade has passed since Leicester Haymarket premiered its home-grown 70s musical Hot Stuff, a decade which has seen numerous UK tours and a couple of stints in the West End for the cult hit show.
But Leicester is firmly its home, and the show has undergone something of a revamp for its first-ever Christmas edition – and what a cracker it turns out to be.
Still wrapped up in cheesy tunes – from Peters and Lee to Abba via the Village People and T Rex, packed with oodles of glitter, and a real story to boot, it all adds up to a spectacular party night which sends you home grinning and singing way into the night.
And despite the addition of a few new songs – Tony Christie’s “(Is This The Way To) Amarillo” and Slade’s “Merry Christmas Everybody” – which guarantee audience singalongs, it’s far from panto night, although you could be forgiven for thinking you were watching one of the best alternative “dames” in the business.
Fabulous female impersonator Ceri Dupree brings the house down as devilishly attractive Lucy Fur, with a five-minute solo cabaret act, as well as offering hapless Joe Soap (hilarious Craig Purnell) fame, fortune and immortality in the Faustian tale. Tempted by the obvious charms of vixen Miss Hot Stuff (super-voiced Yildiz Hussein), he dumps loyal girlfriend Julie and begins his downward spiral into inevitable oblivion.
The tale is held together in glorious style by narrator Melvin Whitfield, whose powerful velvet tones and overwhelming appeal make an irresistible combination.
Dougal Irvine and Karen Rush have a lot of fun with iconic 70s popsters such as Kate Bush, and Lisa Dent and Luke Hallifax dance up a storm with David Needham‘s trademark glossy choreography.
Julian Kelly‘s on-stage band and Ben Harrison‘s fantastically in-your-face sound defy you not to tap your feet, get up, dance, sing along, and enjoy what has to be this year’s ultimate Christmas party.
And director Paul Kerryson, who also devised the piece with co-writer Maggie Norris, ensures a lot of fun throughout, while retaining sympathy for Joe in his plight; and a backdrop of 1970s slides offers a timely reminder of some of the politics, news and celebrity stories of the decade.
It’s always been Hot Stuff; but this Christmas it’s positively sizzling!
– Elizabeth Ferrie
