Review: Saturday Night Fever, Hippodrome

It`s a strange thing. When I was a teenager (a long time ago), I couldn’t stand the Bee Gees. Now I think they`re pretty cool and love their songs, particularly those in Saturday Night Fever. So, was I lying to myself then, or am I lying to myself now?

The other strange thing is that at the end of a hugely enjoyable show that climaxed in a standing ovation, as I walked out I heard a woman say, “I know it’s set in the past but I just couldn’t cope with all the sexism and racism.”

It’s true. This stage version of SNF is something of a curate’s egg. It contains wonderfully uplifting music and superbly executed dance routines, but it is also brave enough to include all the rough edges that were in the original film – suicide, abortion, racial violence, loss of faith, betrayal and really shocking depiction of the women characters.

At one point our hero Tony Manero asks a dance partner, “Are you a good girl, or a bitch?” That`s clearly the only two types of women he can comprehend, and he never changes his mind.

Fortunately for the show and the audience, Tony is played by Richard Winsor – the most spectacular, charismatic, gloriously joyful and exciting dancer who completely carries the show. You cannot take your eyes off him. He is completely compelling.

Richard Winsor as Tony. All pics: Pamela Raith Photography

Winsor has an interesting resume. He’s been a part of Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures – probably the most innovative and original dance company in the world today – and starred as Caleb Knight in the BBC’s Casualty. An unusual combo, but it’s obviously worked for him.

The dances he performs in SNF are period pieces – very stylised and undoubtedly dated (nobody moves like this anymore, if they ever did) but they are also joyous and exhilarating as he faithfully recreates Travolta in his prime, and with fantastic style.

Richard Winsor (Tony), Olivia Kate Holding (Linda), Melody Jones (Flo) & Phillip Aiden (Frank Senior)

Winsor is more than ably supported by Kate Parr as the upwardly mobile Stephanie Mangano, who eludes Tony`s advances, and Anna Campkin as Annette who tragically desires them so desperately. Sadly, the women`s characters are underwritten here – everyone plays second fiddle to Tony, the leader of the pack – but both actresses/dancers are terrific and do what they can to make their performances genuinely impressive.

The soundtrack – Stayin’ Alive, How Deep Is Your Love, Night Fever, Tragedy, More Than a Woman – is equally fabulous, performed by a live on-stage group featuring sound-alike Bee Gees, as well as cherry-picking other 70s hits like Disco Inferno.

Kate Parr (Stephanie) & Richard Winsor

At times it can be difficult to ignore the more ‘difficult’ elements of this show. The genesis of SNF was an American newspaper article by Nik Cohn, ‘Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night’, which originally purported to be a piece of journalism (Cohn, who was from Northern Ireland, later admitted he knew nothing of US dance culture so just made it up).

The story has always combined an uneasy mix of fact and fiction. Now it`s a slightly uneasy mix of rose-tinted nostalgia and uncomfortable memories about what we were once like.

But it’s probably best to ignore such musings and go for the undoubted joy of the music, the dancing and the performance of Richard Winsor, a true star.

Saturday Night Fever continues at the Hippodrome until Saturday, Oct 6. For more info and to book tickets, visit www.atgtickets.com/shows/saturday-night-fever/bristol-hippodrome

Read more: Opening weekend at Bristol Old Vic’s new Weston Studio