CriticalDance Forum

Saturday Night Fever
By James Green for The Stage

A fortnight at the Churchill launches a UK tour of this show, cleverly billed as taking place whenever you were 19. It is the soundtrack of the seventies, complete with slick moves and that celebrated white suit.

The production is lavish, with a talented cast of 30 singers and dancers and nine musicians. The lighting, scenery and scene changes are exemplary.

Never mind the storyline, this is a music and dance show – choreographed by Arlene Phillips – which opens with all the company onstage reacting to the blistering sound of Stayin' Alive.

click for more

Travolta's classic is staying alive
By LIAM RUDDEN for The Evening News (Scotland)

NOT that long ago in a candid moment, John Travolta admitted: "When I get dolled up for interviews I get Hair and Make-up to do it. Otherwise, I pay no attention to my appearance. I think it’s nice to look presentable in public, but I’m a little lazy when it comes to those things the rest of the time."

He also revealed that to hide the fact that he is balding he has "someone colour in the balding spots".

It was all very different back in the 70s when no-one walked the walk or swivelled their hips quite like Travolta. And though it might be hard to believe, 26 years have now passed since he first donned that skin-tight white polyester flared suit, placed one hand on his hip, pointed with the other to the heavens and instantly created an iconic image of the silver screen.

click for more

<small>[ 25 October 2003, 03:49 AM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]</small>

Fever cools on the dancefloor of despair
By Tom Lappin for The Times


There’s a particularly brilliant episode of The Simpsons entitled A Streetcar Named Marge. It’s the one where the brooding tensions of Tennessee Williams are rendered down into cheery ensemble sing-alongs. As ever, Matt Groening’s writing team managed to nail another pernicious aspect of contemporary culture.

Now, nobody is saying that Saturday Night Fever is part of an untouchable canon of great American art, but the 1977 film certainly had a depth and texture about it that this musical adaptation debases.

click for more