★★★★★

Reviewer - Bronagh

*Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review.

Eugenius has landed at The Turbine Theatre, for two hours of pure joy. Admittedly, I had never heard of Eugenius before and now I totally get why it is described as a cult favourite. The 80s-esque music -from high energy Flashdance style numbers to power ballads - and dance moves are West End worthy, the set bright and colourful. It is impossible to not feel happy while watching Eugenius!

The beauty of Eugenius is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously at all; it is a delightfully camp trip back to the 1980s. There are a good few laugh-out-loud moments and kitsch references throughout. The story is sweet and inspiring, telling us to not reach for the stars but to reach higher. Fair enough, the plot is ever so slightly predictable, but that makes it loveable. Who doesn’t have a soft spot for cheese every now and then?!

Elliott Evans, Jaina Brock-Patel and James Hameed play our trio of school friends, whose performances are endearing. They all shine bright individually and in collaboration with one another. Evan’s performance as Eugene is particularly heartwarming, and you can’t help but root for him wanting to touch the stars (and higher!).

Maddison Firth (Carrie) - Eugenius The Musical - Photo Credit Pamela Raith - 034.jpg

The Cast of Eugenius - Eugenius The Musical - Photo Credit Pamela Raith - 010.jpg

A small niggle for me is Feris’ behaviour. I understand this is the 80s, he is a schoolboy and anything went, but I thought his presentation of being slightly lecherous could have been toned down. I’m sure not many people would miss ‘No Pants Dance’! I wouldn’t particularly say this is detrimental to the show, instead something I was conscious of and it niggled away at me.

Maddison Firth’s performance as Super Hot Lady cannot possibly go unspoken; she is the perfect casting for this role. As a complete and utter 80s music enthusiast, I found ‘She’s Amazing’ to be a total gem, and probably my highlight. The choreography, perfected by Aaron Renfree, was excellent and transported the audience to the famous audition room from Flashdance. Incredible!

The cast as a whole is amazing and does an incredible job. The evil yet comedic Lord Hector, played by Joseph Beach, was transported straight from a straight-to-video 80s film and a firm favourite of mine. Every single cast member earned a huge round of applause after the finale; truly well-deserved for bringing Eugenius to life.

As great a venue as the Turbine Theatre is, it is arguably too small for Eugenius. The dance numbers are absolutely crying out for a bigger stage. This does not hinder the show in the slightest, however, instead, it is embraced in places. There are some fun moments that bring the characters into the audience, including a particularly fun moment towards the end where superhero masks are handed out to the audience. The set design is perfect; the strobe lighting and comic book style projections take us straight into the characters’ world.

Overall Eugenius is everything that it says on the tin – thrilling, high energy and very 80s! This is a super fun production, with a mighty score and an even mightier cast.