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Gareth Gates having his dungarees ripped off and getting grinded on by four girls on a car whilst singing Bonnie Tyler is everything in my life that I never knew I needed. I needed it so hard though.
We’re currently in the middle of the Manchester leg of Footloose’s UK tour and I had the absolute pleasure of seeing it at the Palace Theatre – and lemme tell you, it was absolutely great! I want to go again just because of how triumphant and liberating it made me feel. Seriously, you need to go book tickets right now – right this very second.
It started and at first it was giving me serious high school production vibes. A bit like, ‘Awh, this is amateur and cute but kinda shit.’ But after about 20 minutes I was all, ‘Yaaaaaaaas! Slay me, Ren! This is the best thing ever!’
In particular the diner scene, in which the leading lady sings a beautifully fierce rendition of Bonnie Tyler’s iconic ‘Holding out for a Hero’, I swear the crowd was going absolutely wild in their seats and flooding their basements. This was due to Gareth Gates flexing on top of a car and shaking his tush in a little pair of booty shorts. I think I saw Jesus during that scene. It was all I ever wanted and more. Out of nowhere, a dramatic Bucks Fizz costume change skirt-rip.
The second best scene was in a bar when Rusty was singing ‘Let’s Hear It for the Boy’ about Willard to a gaggle of judgey girls saying she shouldn’t be with a man who can’t dance. Well, he sure showed them!
The scene consisted of the main guy teaching the ever-so-simple Willard how to dance. It went from him being terrible (but absolutely hilarious) at first to him absolutely blowing my mind with his dance moves! The crowd was going wild.
I’ve never felt so triumphant watching anything in my entire life! His transformation throughout the show was incredible. I’m so excited about him. I have a bubble of overwhelming joy in my stomach when I think about it and how brilliant it was. I want to see it again so bad!
This might as well just be a review of Gareth Gates’ performance because he was DELIGHTFUL! I’m so happy about it! Just everything, flawless! Comedic timing, his interactions, his dancing, his singing – who’s Will Young?
Gareth Gates, MVP, he was everything! I want him in my life. Booty shorts optional.
For reals though, the entire show was brilliant! I was majorly impressed. It was so good. Just, Gareth Gates… He was everything. The main guy was played by the understudy and he was really cute too, I was feeling Michael Angarano from Sky High vibes. Ugh, what a peach!
Tickets are available from ATG Tickets.
