Flashdance Readies for West End Premiere???

Get your leg-warmers ready! Back in 2007, we reported that producer David Ian was planning a stage version of the 1983 hit film Flashdance (See The Goss, 9 Aug 2007), and in 2008 it duly received its world premiere in Plymouth before touring nationally, choreographed by Arlene Phillips and starring relative unknown Victoria Hamilton-Barritt (See News, 21 May 2008). The production, billed at the time as “the theatrical event of the year”, could now be poised for its long-mooted West End transfer.

Flashdance the Musical is adapted from the 1983 film starring Jennifer Beals as Alex Owens, a Pittsburgh welder and exotic dancer who dreams of winning a place at a prestigious dance school and becoming a professional ballet dancer. Along the way, she has a passionate affair with Nick, the rich boss of the steel mill where she works. The film featured the songs “Maniac” and “Flashdance… What a Feeling”, which won an Academy Award for Best Song – it also launched a fashion frenzy for torn sweatshirts.

We hear that producers have been checking at the Shaftesbury Theatre as a possible destination for Flashdance. The 1400-seater is currently home to another screen-to-stage musical,
Hairspray, which ended the Shaftesbury’s notorious run of flops when it opened to rave reviews in 2007 (See Review Round-up, 31 Oct 2007), and went on to win the sweep of Best Musical prizes at the Evening Standard, Critics’ Circle, Whatsonstage.com and Olivier Awards, amongst other accolades. Hairspray, now starring Phill Jupitus and Belinda Carlisle, is currently booking through to 24 October 2010 in the West End, while a separate touring production launches in March (See News, 10 Aug 2008).