FANTASTICALLY GREAT WOMEN REVIEW
SHEFFIELD LYCEUM
WEDNESDAY 1ST JUNE 2022 @ 2PM
**** 4/5
So this review is pretty delayed, over two months, in fact! However, I still wanted to add it in as I play catch-up with my theatre reviews from recently. Let’s get started with my Fantastically Great Women review from Sheffield Lyceum.
PRE-SHOW THOUGHTS
It’s unusual nowadays that I go into a show knowing very little about it. With Fantastically Great Women, I knew next to nothing. I’d listened to a couple of songs on YouTube and knew it was about women through history. I also knew that it had Six connections, with two former Queens currently starring in the tour and the producer, Kenny Wax.
What I didn’t know was the fact that it’s designed for children, as it’s based on a children’s book. I found this out when I saw the sheer amount of young children in the audience!
THE CAST
Just like Six, the cast is small and this makes it more of an ensemble piece. With just five cast members on stage at most (and one extra in one scene), three band members and two swings, it’s a very small production. The five core actors are in charge of singing, dancing, acting and prop-moving! It looks like very tiresome work, considering it’s only an 80-minute show!
Four of the five actors also play multiple characters of famous women throughout history. The story follows Jade, played by Kudzai Mangombe, who is trapped in a museum after closing and the exhibits come to life. Think Night at the Museum but with a lot more women and music. Mangombe is the central character and the only one who plays just one. She’s really engaging and likeable and with every feeling and thought she has, you definitely feel it too. As a recent graduate, she has star potential written all over her. Already playing a lead role on a tour, she’s going to be on stage for years to come.
Jade Kennedy, Renee Lamb, Kirstie Skivington and Clarice Julianda (swing) made up the four fantastically great women, with all four playing teachers as well as at least two historical women. Each woman brings each character to life and it’s so easy to recognise the iconic heroines represented. This quartet will have you laughing (out loud), dancing away in your seat, singing along if you know the words (quietly preferably until the finale) whilst giving you a history lesson along the way. The power and talent on the stage are outstanding!
THE MUSIC
The soundtrack is another massive highlight for me. There are only eight songs in total and all I wanted was more! Each song tells the story of either this show or a historical moment whilst staying super contemporary. Each leading lady gets a turn, from the anthemic Deeds Not Words to the soft and poignant Rosa’s Lullaby. Fantastically Great is a phenomenal final song and the audience definitely responded to it. I’m so glad there’s now a cast album because these songs deserve to be heard by a wider audience!
I also adored the on-stage trio making up the band: Audra Cramer, Rhiannon Hopkins and Chloe Rianna. Whilst they’re not directly in the production, they are still above it all rather than stuck in an orchestra pit. Rianna has a section on stage during World of Colour and the audience lapped her drum solo up!
THE PRODUCTION
As I said before, with just five actors on stage, they are also in charge of moving props. For a small show, I found the set to be vast. However, with so many moving parts, the actors do a sensational job of making sure every prop is in the right place at the right time. I’m sure the crew backstage do a tonne of work too but the actors do a great job onstage too.
The costuming is also a cut above. Joanna Scotcher (who also designed the set) is able to blend historical figures in modern-day outfits, whilst making them still instantly recognisable. It’s a multicoloured paradise with every colour under the sun used, perfect for the family-friendly audience.
There are a handful of dance moments throughout as most of the music is fairly upbeat. Danielle ‘Rhimes’ Lecointe’s choreography for Deeds Not Words particularly stands out, with a military, hip-hop vibe, led by Kirstie Skivington. I felt myself sitting there trying to mentally learn the choreo to practise at home!
OVERALL THOUGHTS
I’d love for Fantastically Great Women to get a full-sized tour or possibly go on a tour of schools (as this is their main audience). It’s a show that I think all kids need to watch (and most adults too, in particular, misogynists). History in the UK seems confined to the same time periods and it’s important that we know as much about those who came before us, especially women. I’m ashamed to say that there was a tonne of information that I learned during the show that I didn’t know beforehand. I guess that’s another similarity to Six!
You can catch Fantastically Great Women at the Edinburgh Fringe until the 29th August. If you’re looking for an educational, uplifting show for the entire family, it’s the perfect choice for you.
If you enjoyed my Fantastically Great Women review, you can find more theatre reviews here. Follow me on Twitter or Instagram for more stagey trips!
