SuperYou
Book, Music & Lyrics – Lourds Lane 
Director & Choreographer – JoAnn M Hunter 
Music Supervision – Wendy Bobbitt Cavett
Curve, Leicester
Tuesday 22nd October – Saturday 9th November

SuperYou is a brand-new musical which went viral in lockdown as superfans posted their own cover versions of its songs. You may even have seen them on TikTok or Instagram. This is its first ever fully-staged production as a sung-through rock opera, following sold-out concerts at New York’s Carnegie Hall and the Lyric Theatre, London.

I admit that I am slightly apprehensive about reviewing SuperYou. Rock opera is not my favourite genre, and I have been known to skip multiple tracks on Spotify. Nevertheless, I am here at Curve tonight, with an open mind ready to be converted and crossing my fingers that SuperYou lives up to the fan hype.

Young Katie (Aaliyah Monk) is bullied at school and struggling to find her own voice and identity. This is compounded by a difficult family life. Her father is no longer on the scene, and she feels neglected by her mother (Belinda Lee Chapman). Her only source of encouragement comes from the sweet relationship she has with her brother Matty (Owen Lloyd) who encourages her to use art as a form of therapy. The message is, ‘Don’t wait, create.’

Katie begins to draw her own set of diverse comic book superheroes, known collectively as ‘The Boltz.’ There is Rise (Lourds Lane), Ima-Mazing (Kingsley Morton), Blast (Courtney Stapleton), and Seven (B. Noel Thomas). Each one is given their chance to shine as they sing of their backstory and how they overcame adversity in all its pernicious forms.

Meanwhile, an older version of Katie (Vicki Manser) embarks on a relationship with budding musician Jay (Damien Walsh) whom she meets in her local coffee shop, ‘The Sound Brew.’ These two leads have great chemistry and deftly portray the struggle as each try to meet their own needs and those of their partner.

Set design by Anna Louizos is highly effective. There is an upper level affording a view of the excellent band with a gantry and huge moveable screens upon which projections (Caite Hevner) can be screened. This is one of my favourite aspects of SuperYou. We get to see the incarnations of the superheroes drawn before our very eyes bringing a visual kaleidoscope of colour and creativity.

Less successful is the overall narrative. In places, it is muddled and confusing. The audience is met with a barrage of messages akin to sensory overload. At times, I feel as though I am in a phantasmagorical ‘fever dream’ of rhyming couplets. If a show is going to be sung-through, then the songs need to drive the narrative and be distinctly memorable and this is where SuperYou falls short of the mark.

Manser has fantastic vocal ability and can belt out the power ballads like a true diva. However, after a succession of ‘big’ songs that all strive for the momentous crescendo, I long for more light and shade.

Characters are also under-developed. For example, Mom is largely mute, and her troubles are conveyed through a series of balletic movements. Her own aspirations and ambitions are thwarted through alcohol and domestic abuse, but I feel this is under-played and the choreography whilst beautiful to watch becomes repetitive.

Hence, when tragedy occurs the emotional impact is deadened due to several roles seeming ciphers rather than fully-fledged beings. A digital drawing of a family unit that slowly crumples on the screen has more of an emotional pay-off.

There is undoubtedly potential in SuperYou, but in my opinion it doesn’t quite work yet. The cast work extremely hard, have undoubted talent, but the plot is somewhat perplexing.
Notwithstanding, if you love a rousing rock ballad and an eclectic mix of music that even includes yodelling, then why not give SuperYou a chance?

Running Time: 2 hours 30 mins (including 20-min interval)

Age guidance: 10+
Show warnings: The storyline touches on issues such as alcoholism, sudden loss/grief, and domestic abuse. The performance contains flashing lights, lights directed at audience members, partial nudity, strobe, and haze.

Photography @peachyraith