The UK premiere of Becoming Nancy shows at Birmingham Rep this month, with an exceptional cast, an uplifting, heartwarming story, and a joyful soundtrack.

The musical is set in 1970s London, with songs, costume, and set design to match. It tells the story of David Starr (Joseph Peacock), a gay seventeen-year-old in a school where daily he is bullied by his peers about his sexuality, and witnesses racism directed towards his best friend Frances (Paige Peddie). In his burgeoning love life, he falls for new boy Maxie (Joseph Vella), while fending off the advances of bold classmate Abigail (Daisy Greenwood). 

When David is cast as Nancy in the school’s production of Oliver!, he admits that it’s a role he longs to play, but knows that appearing on stage in a frock will give his bullies even more ammunition. His decision to accept the role leads David to find the strength to be himself - but also brings his sexuality into the spotlight, where it can’t be hidden from his family, friends or enemies. 

Joseph Peacock is exceptional, making the lead role look effortless, and thoroughly believable as the teenage, irrepressible David, offering chatty asides to the audience mid-scene - David views his life with all the drama of a musical. In one throwaway line, he explains how he imagines things to be more dramatic in his head - making sense of the delightfully ostentatious touches on stage, when spotlights descend during a romantic moment, or when the idols on his bedroom posters come to life to offer him advice…

The genius of the production is that while David’s world is charming and theatrical, the play doesn’t pull any punches in showing the darker side of the story. Frances’ Rock Against Racism disco is disrupted by a vicious racist attack, and homophobic rhetoric around the school is fuelled not only by students, but the antagonistic P.E. Teacher, Bob Lord (Richard Meek). At home, David’s Dad, Eddie (Mathew Craig) is appalled and angry, seeing his son trying out a dress for his costume. 

Balancing this bitter taste of realism are characters who offer more support to David, like his Mum Kath (Rebecca Trehearn), Aunt Val (Genevieve Nicole), and Drama Teacher Hamish McClarnon (Stephen Ashfield). Paige Peddie is fantastic as the buoyant Frances, who releases righteous anger at the way she and other Black people are being treated, while simultaneously standing up for herself.

All this without mentioning the brilliant vocal performances, catchy songs, and visually stunning direction and choreography from Jerry Mitchell. The story is truly told from the heart - unsurprising, as it is adapted from the semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by Terry Ronald.

The audience were on their feet, singing and dancing, as soon as the last song came to a close. Becoming Nancy is a life-affirming, completely absorbing play, in celebration of love - and clearly, love has been poured into it by the whole company, on and off stage. Don’t miss it.

Five Stars

Becoming Nancy was reviewed by Jessica Clixby on Tuesday 15 October at Birmingham Rep, where it runs until Saturday 2 November

Image credit: Mark Senior