Review: Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World (Touring)

Wednesday, 28th February 2024 at Leeds Grand Theatre

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World? There are many of them, and in Chris Bush’s fun-loving adaptation of Kate Pankhurst’s fabulous book, we meet a generous selection of these extraordinary women.

It’s a pretty classic set-up: schoolgirl Jade (Georgia Grant-Anderson) has lost her group at the museum and as she waits to be discovered missing, she finds herself meeting female icons from across history over in the “Gallery of Greatness”. Grantham-Anderson is fantastic here, bringing all the exuberance and uncertainty of youth to a performance which is very endearing and often charmingly funny.

And swirling around this youngster in a flurry of historical facts (engagingly delivered through lively pop songs and the odd pretty ballad), are a cast of four more fabulous women directed by Amy Hodge. Jennifer Caldwell had very good training for this show during her time with megamusical Six and she leads the way with a kick-ass gaggle of characters here – from a militant Emmeline Pankhurst to a wry Agent Fifi, she exudes cool (or whatever the equivalent is these days)and nails characters who are full of confidence with a defiant edge.

Chlöe Hart is a lovable force as the driven Gertrude Ederle and the warm-hearted Jane Austen, while Elena Breschi breathes life and colour into Sacagawea, Frida Kahlo and Marie Curie – with Kahlo in particular stealing the show with her artistic temperament and top costuming from Joanna Scotcher. Leah Vassell completes the fab four with a reassuringly welcoming Amelia Earhart, a quietly powerful Mary Seacole and a very warm Rosa Parks, bringing a layer of matriarch wisdom to the show.

We also have lyrics from Chris Bush and Miranda Cooper highlighting the fantastic talents of these history-making women without ever tipping into History lesson overkill. The songs are full of positive messaging and galvanising mottoes to live by. Meanwhile, music from Cooper and Jennifer Decilveo taps into classic pop sounds and reach their full energetic impact when accompanied by Danielle “Rhimes” Lecointe’s poppy choreography. The girl power doesn’t stop at the cast and creative team either – there’s also a talented bunch of all-female musicians (Audra Cramer, Bronwen Chan and Isis Dunthorne) in full view on Scotcher’s layered set.

When it comes to role models and positive messaging, this bunch of historical superstars are hard to beat. Yet even while their extraordinary stories are front and centre, this lively and lovable cast, make awe-inspiring people relatable and tangible – not dusty relics, but vibrant individuals to admire and to be inspired by. If you’re looking for a show for youngsters to uplift and inspire, Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World is a very good shout.

Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World is at Leeds Grand Theatre until March 3rd 2024 – more information and tickets can be found here.