I first watched this show some eighteen months ago when it was originally on tour at Edinburgh Playhouse and witnessed a high energy fun filled musical that is fairly accurate recreation of the eighties cult film that starred amongst others Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Unlike some stage shows where the ‘better’ known songs have to be dropped due to copy write issues, Footloose is fortunate that it is still able to feature such gems as ‘Holding out for a Hero’, ‘Let’s Hear it for the Boy’ and of course the Kenny Loggins written title track.

The show opens with Ren McCormack, Derek Hough, and his mother Ethel, Caroline Deverill, forced to leave Chicago and move to a town that ‘no-one has ever heard of’ Bowmont, a town that is ruled by Reverend Shaw Moore, Stephen McGann, a town that has been so affected by the tragic loss of four young lives in a crash some years ago that it is even illegal to dance within the town limits.

The vivacious Ariel, Lorna Want, daughter of the Reverend and his wife Vi, played by ex- Bucks Fizz star Cheryl Baker, is definitely a rebel and when she is not rebelling by seeing local bad boy Chuck, played by Johnny Shentall, ex-Hearsay and ‘Mr Lisa Scott-Lee’ she plays the catalyst that provokes Ren to challenge establishment, family and especially the Rev.

This is a high energy show, the dance numbers well drilled and hectic, the voices are good, Ren and Ariel both ‘look right’ and the rest of the cast all fulfil their roles more than adequately, but I was a little disappointed in the way that Rev. Moore was portrayed. I could not believe that he would have the presence and power to dominate the way the town is run.

Those who know the film will be aware of the twists and turns that ensue, all punctuated with songs and dance numbers, and I bet you thought dancing was banned in the town eh!, as the show progresses to the logical conclusion.

The ‘mega-mix’ at the end is a test the stamina of the cast as frenetic dancing, high powered singing to the accompaniment of the excellent, if occasionally slightly loud, band and, oh, watch out for the Eurovision tribute involving Ms Baker that is also included in the encore.

All in all it is certainly a fun way to spend an evening, but you will probably have to be quick, it’s certainly only in Edinburgh for a week, but to see if it’s coming to a theatre near you can always check out their website on www.footloosethemusical.co.uk