Footloose → Metropolitan Musical Theatre Company

You better kick off your Sunday Shoes Adelaide, The Metropolitan Musical Theatre Company’s current production of Footloose is here to take us back to the 80s!

If you’ve somehow never known the plot of Footloose, it begins when big-city teen Ren McCormack moves to the small town of Bomont, and is shocked to discover that dancing is banned. Determined to challenge this law, Ren aims to convince the town’s strongest voice, Reverend Shaw Moore, all whilst falling for his headstrong daughter, Ariel. With the iconic 80s hits you know, Footloose is a celebration of youth, freedom, and the euphoric power of dance.

Directed by Matt Smith, The MET’s show brings together a diverse range of local performers to bring this show to life. Lachlan Stieger is the charming Ren McCormack - who is impressively taking on his first lead role! Playing Ariel is the incredible Vasileia Markou who has a standout voice, especially in ‘Holding Out For A Hero’ and ‘Almost Paradise.’ Together, these two had clearly refined their scenes to showcase their believable chemistry and character arcs. 

Ariel’s girl gang, Rusty, Wendy-Jo and Urleen, performed by Serena Cann, Iris Nissan and Dani Panfilo were another standout dynamic. They really leant into the sass, spirit, and sisterhood of small-town teen life, delivering great comic timing and strong vocals! 

Daniel Whitehead as Wilard Hewitt was the audience favourite on Opening Night. He truly had the crowd cackling with laughter at his awkward attempts to dance and his deadpan one-liners, especially in ‘Mamma Says!’ 

Carrying the show’s darker themes of grief and loss are the parental figures: Rodney Hrvatin as Rev. Shaw, Vi Moore and Danielle Greaves Ethel McCormack. Through their respective roles, the mothers bring warmth and quiet feminine strength to the show’s themes of healing and understanding. Hrvatin’s performance of Rev. Shaw was sincere and clearly communicated the emotional inner layers to this character. 

Jaxon Joy’s musical direction was spot on. The show’s 8-piece orchestra was super lively and smashed a polished live performance of the classic 80s hits. 

The highlight of the choreography for me was the finale MegaMix, featuring the full cast. Lucy Newman’s choreography was simple yet effective to support the various dancing strengths of the cast. They all brought it up an octave for the finale number, filling the theatre with infectious energy and a true sense of celebration for their first performance! 

With big community spirit and infectious camaraderie, The MET’s Footloose promises to be an enjoyable rendition of this beloved hit!

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