A kaleidoscope of disco glitter balls? Check. Tony Manero in a gleaming white suit? Check. More Bee Gees hits than a 70s karaoke session? Check check check. All the iconic elements from the 1977 film are in place in Bill Kenwright’s big-hearted production, as well as a few extras: more songs, more dancing and a Bee Gees band performing live on stage. The only thing missing is a bit more grit and fiery passion in a show that’ll get you dancing, but never hits fever pitch.
Oh, and there’s no John Travolta. Alas. Instead, Richard Winsor brings his own qualities to the role of Tony Manero, a brilliant dancer stuck working in a paint shop in 70s Brooklyn. Winsor’s Manero comes across as a thoroughly nice and painfully vulnerable young man. The scenes at home with Manero’s abusive father (Phillip Aiden) lend depth to a production that can feel stuck halfway between a hen night extravaganza and something much darker and more considered.
