Super You The Musical In Concert
"The story of lightning girl and her electric energy has created a buzz in London!"
For one night only at the Lyric Theatre in London, we were teased with a concert rendition of Super You, a new American musical of female empowerment by Lourds Lane. This gutsy rock musical immediately hit us in the face with immaculate harmonies, punchy phrases and a strong feminist message, winning over the sold out audience in its UK premiere.
I thoroughly enjoyed the catchy soundtrack which was played by a talented band of female musicians featured on the stage for both acts.
Having a mostly female cast on top of using talented women to provide the rock accompaniment also emphasised the presence of the sisterhood theme that ran throughout.
As this was a musical in concert, it was a showcase of the book and soundtrack, presented as a concept (in contrast to a full scale production). Having had success in New York and amassed a large following, the writer Lourds Lane decided to grace the West End and see if London’s ready for this edgy extravaganza.
We were taken through the storyline by the narrator who spoke extremely clearly thus ensuring each scene was easy to follow.
Katie White is a girl with a turbulent childhood who is battling through her family struggles. After losing her brother in a tragic accident and having to look after her alcoholic mother, she is guided by superhero idols drawn up from her imagination. This inspirational tale is a joy for all ages and I’m sure aspects will resonate with each family member.
The role of Katie was split between two actresses portraying different ages. We are first introduced to a 15yr old Katie played by Aaliyah Monk and later on we meet Lucie Jones’ older version. Both actresses aced their roles and gave commendable performances.
Jones’ stunning timbre lit up the room every time she opened her mouth and her vocal acrobatics were formidable. We were also treated to delicious sounds from the rest of the characters who in my opinion were perfectly cast.
We had Katie’s boyfriend Jay, the dorky barista turned viral superstar who was played by dulcet-toned actor Luke Brady.
Matty, Katie’s Brother (Jonty Peach) served us top-tier acting alongside a melt-worthy vocal quality.
Other pivotal characters of the piece were the Boltz - fictional alter-egos of friends of Katie. Each icon represented an element, Earth, Wind, Fire and Water and was a fierce driving force of positivity. The lovable Rock chicks all prevailed in teaching the lead to transform her insecurities into her unique star qualities.
Our fabulous Divas included:
Ima Mazing - A larger than life lady with a voice to match!
Rise - Actually played by the writer of the show, who charged the room with her uncontainable energy and even gave us some sleek violin solos.
Blast - Who sent us into space with her Bonnie-Tyler belt and rock raspiness.
Seven - Our legs-eleven transgendered queen bringing unapologetic authenticity. I think many people will relate to their struggle defying parental pressures.
Each of these featured females spoilt us with killer vocals and worked well as a collective.
During the show we watched as Katie’s nemesis haunts her in the form of a reoccurring nightmare. Conveyed through interpretive dance scenes that were flashed before us, these highly emotive additions further the plot in an unexpectedly poignant way. Katie’s mother also appears as an entity rather than a spoken role. Her silence is very powerful and is only broken at the very end of the show.
The stage was quite bare, consisting of six script stands for the actors and a large screen behind them, hinting at potential future scenery and set designs.
The lighting was reduced to blue and purple hues with occasional spotlights as needed. Surprisingly, the show held its own even whilst missing the set, staging, costumes and choreography.
Super You gave us everything we could have asked for a production at this stage. I am very interested to see how the completed set will be and how deep into the comic book theme they delve. This beautiful and inspirational story was tied up nicely with a happy ending and I would have given it 6 stars out of 5 if physically possible. It wasn’t just a show, it was an experience which was reflected in the standing ovation from the room.
Fusing together tight harmonies, flawless vocals, a chuckle-worthy script and a ‘super’ empowering message, I think this is going to be the next big hit to strike the West End.
This show was reviewed on the 15th November 2023. More details on the show can be found here: SuperYou (superyoumusical.com)
Review written by Jasmine Alice
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Photo credit: Matt Martin & Simona Sermont for Shooting Theatre
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