Kiss Me Quickstep

Derby Theatre, Tuesday 10^th June 2025

As part of the 50^th anniversary season, Derby Theatre have teamed up with East Midlands playwright Amanda Whittington to reimagine her 2016 play Kiss Me Quickstep. Originally commissioned for the New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Whittington has made some updates to the script and thrown in a few Derby references to please the locals. The location of the piece is the Empress Ballroom, Blackpool where couples are arriving full of hope and anxiety as they set about strutting their stuff in the National Amateur Ballroom and Latin Dance Championships.

First up are Nancy and Luka, a new partnership under the watchful eye of Nancy’s dad Mick. Nancy (Clair Greave) lives just down the road from the bright lights and glitz of Blackpool’s ballroom scene which has been her life since a young age. The overbearing Mick (Jason Furnival) has only ever wanted the best for his daughter Nancy and will go to any lengths to ensure her success. Having pulled strings to bring over a new partner from Russia, he soon finds himself in conflict with Luka (or ‘Luke’ as he insists on calling him, played by Jabez Sykes) – whose strategies for success do not marry well with Mick’s own plans. 

Couple number two are Justin and Jodie from Chaddesden, whose arrival in Blackpool was delayed following a breakdown in their car on the motorway. Things look bleak for the couple as Justin (Ashley Gilmour) has hurt his knee and Jodie (Hollie Jane Stephens) realises she has left her Latin dress at home. With no money for a replacement outfit or even a bed for the night, their chances of success in the championship look doubtful.

And finally, we meet our third couple, the reigning champions Samantha and Lee. Samantha (Isabel Snaas) attended the same dance classes as Jodie as a young girl, but the pressure of being at the top is proving too much. Partner Lee (Matthew Jeans) is fiery and driven and doesn’t take things well when Samantha’s performances on the dancefloor starts to take a nosedive.

All six of the ‘competitors’ are accomplished actors and dancers, but sadly weaknesses in the script leave us with a host of rather two-dimensional characters. As Justin and Jodie, Gilmour and Stephens are the most believable and likeable pairing. Their struggle to stay in the game despite financial worries and self-doubt are the most convincing. Snaas as Samantha does her best to make the difficult transition from reigning queen to fallen idol. The script gives few clues however as to why she is so troubled or what her obsession with tropical fish has to do with anything. As Lee, Jeans is given even less material to work with as he tries hard to keep Samantha on track whilst struggling with his own fear of falling out of the spotlight.

Furnival as Mick plays the controlling Dad whose self-worth depends on his daughter’s reflected glory. His part too is so underwritten and one note that when his interference becomes too much for Nancy and Luka, the confrontation that ensues with his daughter is unconvincing. As Nancy, Gleave brings refreshing kindness to her character as she cares for Luka and those around her. Sykes’ Luka has an inner strength that Nancy finds compelling, but their relationship lacks development. When we hear how Nancy has slipped into Luka’s room in the middle of the night because that is what former partners expected, a whole darker side to dance partnerships is hinted at but never fully realised. There’s a suggestion that Luka might be gay – hardly unusual in the dance world – but this too is frustratingly skimmed over.

A large parquet floor and three huge chandeliers add a touch of class but the decision to have a full open stage with clear views of crew operating scenery is problematic. The intention no doubt was to offer a ‘behind the scenes’ feel but the result is cavernous and bleak. With just three couples dancing in the space, it is hard to imagine the ballroom full of the swirling couples it is meant to represent. Wall panels reminiscent of a seedy 1-star hotel fly in for no obvious reason and rows of empty ‘spectator’ seats onstage feel rather sad and depressing. During the big dance sequences, bags and suit carriers are sloppily left on set and pull focus from the supposed grandeur and spectacle of the Empress Ballroom. Meanwhile key scenes such as the reconciliation between Jodie and Samantha are played at the back of the stage out of view of a fair number of audience members. 

Despite problematic staging and textual challenges, fans of Strictly Come Dancing will no doubt have a great time watching Kiss Me Quickstep, not least because the dance numbers are polished and a joy to watch. 

Directed by Lilac Yosiphon, Kiss Me Quickstep continues at the Derby Theatre until June 21^st.