STANDING ovations are a fairly rare commodity in theatre, but Dreamgirls obviously left a big impression.
The first act ended with an impressed audience on their feet as well as the second. They had just witnessed a powerhouse performance of And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going by Nicole Raquel Dennis, the stand-out star in an exceptionally talented cast, who plays Effie White.
It was a memorable moment from The Voice 2019 semi-finalist, who even outshone the film version's star and TV judge Jennifer Hudson when they performed the song together on the talent show, and it felt only right that the audience burst into spontaneous applause each time she hit a particularly high note.
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In this dazzling show, a previous Broadway and West End hit based on the movie also starring Beyoncé, Eddie Murphy and Jamie Foxx, Nicole performs a moving duet with Natalie Kassanga, who also showed off stunning vocals as Deena Jones.
They are two of the original Dreams, a trio of talented young singers in the turbulent 1960s, a revolutionary time in American music history.
They - and a supporting cast of various family members, fellow performers and rivals - embark on a rollercoaster ride as they seek fame and fortune while encountering a few shady characters along the way. Matt Mills lapped up the curtain call boos after putting in a great shift as pantomime villain manager Curtis Taylor Jr.
Another highlight was the dance moves of Brandon Lee Sears, which were a wild mix of break-dancing and ballet and among some slick routines.
The cast used the simple yet effective tool of simply turning their backs on the auditorium so we had a good insight into the goings on both front of house and backstage.
I loved the shimmering costumes, the disco lights and the choreography. But, in a show like this, you can't beat a stage full of superb singers.
Dreamgirls runs until Saturday. Tickets from mayflower.org.uk or 023 8071 1811.
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