Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World is at Milton Keynes Theatre this week and let me tell you – It’s fantastically great! This award-winning musical is from one of the producers of worldwide sensation SIX and it celebrates remarkable, and often forgotten, women from history gloriously brought to life on stage. This empowering pop musical has delighted and inspired audiences across the UK and now it’s in Milton Keynes until Saturday 27 January.
The premise of the story is about Jade. Jade is on a school trip in a museum, but has been left behind so she walks around the unopened exhibit – a gallery of greatness about fantastically great women. The women come to life and each tells their stories and has an impact on Jade who was feeling lost, not only in the museum but in life. These women help Jade find her voice. These fantastically great women include Frida Kahlo, Marie Curie, Sacagawea, Emmeline Pankhurst, Jane Austen, Rosa Parks, Anne Frank and Amelia Earhart. The songs are really catchy and include, Mary, Mary and Marie, Quiet Children, Deeds Not Words and World of Colour.
Elena Breschi, Jennifer Caldwell, Chloe Hart and Leah Vassell are a phenomenon. They are all a quintuple threat (sing, dance, act, do accents and very quick changes). I was just blown away by their performances and their harmonies are beyond. I loved the accents to differentiate between the characters (and had no idea that Pankhurst was from the north).
I loved the energy of Elena as Frida Kahlo and felt inspired hearing her story of how when facing adversity, she changed her life for the better. Inspiring stuff. Jennifer was amazing as Pankhurst and as someone who values her vote, I am so proud she stood up for what she believed in. and changed the world for women in the UK. Chloe Hart made me laugh as Jane Austen and how she put the names of her books into her sentences and came across as very caring. Leah Vassell was awesome as Rosa Parks and how one small action didn’t just change the world for women, it changed the world for many people of colour. Leah plays Rosa as humble and even gives credit for Anne Frank who was so young and yet the words in her diary live on, and as Rosa says, becomes one of the most important books in existence. Jade was played by Georgia Grant-Anderson and she is on stage for almost the whole show. Georgia is very talented and it wouldn’t surprise me to see her on a west end stage in a few years’ time.
This amazing show made me proud to be a woman. At one point when they were saying how great women are despite all the adversity thrown at them; it really resonated with me. It’s also educational. You know you have heard of some of these women but not always know of their back stories. This show is a must for all women. Anyone who has a daughter should bring her. But bring the men too. Just as Barbie helped the Kens understand, this will help men understand the struggles of women throughout the ages. This show is fabulous. And to all my sisters out there, I promise you will leave the theatre feeling empowered.
Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World is at Milton Keynes Theatre until 27 January 2024.
Please note there is no interval. The show runs for 85 minutes.
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