In the 16th century, Sir Philip Sidney wrote the prose romance The Countess of Pembroke’s Arcadia; in the 1970s, The Go-Gos debuted on the American punk scene; in 2015 Jeff Whitty conceived a show (later adapted by James Magruder) bringing both elements together. Hitting Broadway in 2018, this queer jukebox musical is now premiering in the UK at Ancoats’ own Factory of Creativity – Hope Mill Theatre.
Head Over Heels is a royal love story…the people of Arcadia live the ‘Beat’. When non-binary oracle Pythio warns that the Beat may be lost, they deliver four prophecies which, if fulfilled, will see the Beat lost forever. Tom Jackson Greaves’ direction is slick and keeps the action moving; his choreography catches the essence of the era and makes full use of the space. However, this evening of go-go songs hangs onto the bare frame of Sidney’s original story. In this adaptation the characters never really jump off the page, other than when they find the excuse to sing a song from the back catalogue, whether it ties in with the story or not.
The strong cast includes some noteworthy performances, in particular Jenny O’Leary as the love struck, feisty Pamela, Iz Hesketh as the all-seeing entity Pythio, and Luke Bayer as Musidorus – the love interest of many! The band, led by Arlene McNaught, ably supports the company-wide powerful vocals. Fans of The Go-Go’s will recognise many of the songs (We Got the Beat, Our Lips Are Sealed, Vacation, and Mad About You), and everyone will love the rendition of Belinda Carlisle’s Heaven is a Place on Earth in the second half. The script may be flat, but the energetic cast ensured an enjoyable evening of colourful campery and kept the attention of the enthusiastic audience throughout.
Hope Mill Theatre: Jan 26th-Mar 4th 2023. Tickets.
Images credited to Pamela Raith
Garry Thomas-Lowde for Ancoats Plus
