Loserville has certainly been
receiving some mixed responses. Whilst
some reviews have been utterly negative, others have overlooked flaws and
praised the show for bringing something novel to the West
End as a brand new British musical in a sea of revivals and
jukebox shows. There’s even been some
criticism of critics who have panned the show, which is all well and good if
the show is actually praiseworthy. So
who’s right?
It might be new to the West End , but Loserville’s narrative is utterly
unoriginal, with characters taken from a variety of cult shows. As a whole it’s a musical that celebrates
young freaks and geeks in the same way as Glee,
this time a set of four computer nerds who’d be just as at home in an episode
of The Big Bang Theory. Of course their rivals are the cool kids in
school, with slicked quiffs Danny from Grease
would be proud of and plastic girlfriends to make even the girls from Mean Girls jealous. The characters are over-acted, the script
filled with clichéd jokes that will force laughter and groans in equal measure,
and the on-going Star Wars references
grow increasingly predictable. Yet by combining elements from these cult shows and wider teenage
culture, Loserville is the perfect
show for today’s youth – undoubtedly the primary demographic.
The music, too, is not original.
Written by ex-Busted member James Bourne, the songs are adapted from his
second band Son of Dork’s album ‘Welcome to Loserville’. As such, watching the show feels like going
to a Busted gig, or watching American Pie
for the millionth time. The style is
cheesy pop-punk that won’t win any awards for complex arrangements, thematic
consistency or profound lyrical meaning, but the melodies are incredibly catchy
and you’ll definitely come away singing the tunes.
The main problem with the music is the standard of singing, which is
surprisingly weak for a West End cast with tuning problems abound, even if
they are young. This is only highlighted
by many of the solo numbers assisted by backing vocals and extra harmonies from
the wings. Thankfully, some of the
performances remain likeable amongst the silliness, in particular Aaron Sidwell
as protagonist Michael Dork, Charlotte Harwood’s pop vocals as Leia Dawkins and
the loveable comedy of Daniel Buckley’s Marvin Camden.
It’s the production that most impresses, however. The transparent, interlocking set is neon-lit
like Tron, whilst everything else
from backdrops to props is comprised of notepad pages and pencils. Whilst this does somewhat cover for a lack of
budget, it’s a concept that’s fully embraced along with the vibrant costumes
that match the colourful characters.
It’s like watching a Saturday morning cartoon, complete with credits
sequences at the beginning and end. This
is further emphasised by the energetic choreography that’s modern, poppy and
includes clever use of props such as pencils and letter tiles. It’s a charming production that’s easy to
warm to.
Ultimately, Loserville is an
entertaining piece of shallow musical froth that isn’t meant to be taken
seriously. Its youthful and vibrant feel
is well suited towards its intended audience and the production has a solid
concept. Embrace your inner-geek and you
may just be pleasantly surprised.
Will this be a long-running staple of the West End ? No, but it’s enjoyable, light-hearted fun so
make sure to grab your ticket outta Loserville whilst it lasts.
3/5
Watch: Loserville will now be closing in January 2013.
