The stage adaptation of Saturday Night Fever currently playing at Melbourne's Athenaeum Theatre has received a lukewarm reception, with critics noting it fails to capture the magic of the original film starring John Travolta. The production, a jukebox musical based on the Bee Gees' soundtrack, stars newcomer Ethan Churchill as Tony Manero, but reviewers say he lacks the charisma and dancing prowess that made the character iconic.
Churchill, while physically resembling Travolta, is described as having an underpowered voice and lacking warmth and vulnerability. His dancing is deemed unremarkable, which undercuts the story's central appeal of sensational dance sequences. The plot follows Tony, a 19-year-old Italian-American paint salesman living in Brooklyn, who escapes his mundane life through Saturday night disco dancing at the 2001 Odyssey club.
Director Drew Anthony relies heavily on projected backdrops to evoke 1970s New York, but critics argue this is a lazy way to build atmosphere. The lighting is described as excessive and cheesy, and the sound patchy and inconsistent. However, some performances stand out, including Sam Hamilton as Bobby C, Regan Barber as Stephanie, and Izzi Green as Annette.
The production tones down the film's adult content, replacing profanity with milder language and moving a gang-rape scene offstage, making it more family-friendly. Despite these adjustments, the show is best enjoyed as a nostalgia trip rather than a fully realised dramatic work, according to reviewers.
