Arts Theatre
Reviewed on Wednesday 13th July 2016
★★★
★★★
Following its 2015 West End run and a UK tour, Racky Plews’ production of American Idiot has returned to London's Arts Theatre. The show features the hits of Green Day from their album (you guessed it) American Idiot.
The show follows three lost friends as they try and find their place in post 9-11 America. Accompanied by numbers such as ‘Holiday’, ‘Boulevard of Broken Dreams’ and ‘Wake Me Up When September Ends', the friends separate and all seem to end up more lost than they did at the beginning.
Plews’ production bursts with raw passion and anger; the Green Day hits are staged with electrifying energy. I was forced to use all of my self-control to stay calmly sat in my seat when the cast tore the stage apart with their rendition of ‘Holiday’.
Newton Faulkner and the role of Johnny is a match made in casting heaven. Faulkner makes each song seem effortless, I almost forgot these songs were ever sung by anyone else. However, for me the show was stolen by Alexis Gerred whose performance as Tun was more addictive than Johnny’s relationship with heroin.
The vocal talent and passion of the company is faultless; if the story was as strong as the music, American Idiot would be a five star hit. However, the story is lost between the chords and I was left desperately looking forward to the next musical number, blinking with confusion as each character appeared in a new scenario.
All in all, American Idiot provides a great night's entertainment for punk rock fans. The audience left infected with the show's energy and if you are a Green Day lover, this is no doubt the show for you.
Reviewed by Lucy Beirne
American Idiot runs at the Arts Theatre until Sunday 25th September 2016.
Please visit www.americanidiotthemusical.co.uk for further information and tickets.
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