A Stan is Born! – Riverside Studios

A Stan is Born! continues at the Riverside Studios, London until 29 May 2025.

Star rating: three stars ★ ★ ★ ✩ ✩

In 2000, Eminem’s song ‘Stan’ told of a fan’s obsession with his idol that was so extreme that, in order to garner attention for himself, he drives himself and his pregnant girlfriend off a bridge and to their deaths. Despite that dark storyline, ‘stan’ has since become a slang term for a huge fan, rather than an obsessive, murder-suicide-y one.

For Alexis Sakellaris, his fan worship has always been for female singers. Céline, Beyoncé, Aretha, Barbra, Whitney, Mariah and more have dominated his life, from being born in New York City to when his European parents moved to rural Germany when he was a pre-teen. A Stan is Born! is an autobiographical trip through those formative years, as the young Alexis finds strength from his diva idols while navigating school life in a country whose language he does not yet know.

In this comedic tale of his life, Céline Dion becomes a fairy godmother of sorts, although Sakellaris’ impression owes more to Titanique than as a direct impression of the Canadian singer herself. The performer’s stories of struggling to fit in at a school where all the boys were football-obsessed will be familiar to many adults whose gay or gender non-conforming sides began to manifest at schools, though.

With a variety of original songs extolling the virtues of either being a fan or being a diva, Sakellaris offers up an endearing persona. His tales of wanting acceptance from his mother and watching Desperate Housewives with her dovetail with his attempts to join the school choir, first by channelling Mariah Carey and then, after training, eventually performing as himself.

But this is a fairly slight tale. There are several thematic beats that are played out over and over again, feeling as if little progression is being made through the show’s hour. And while there is some joy to be had in the humour Sakellaris offers in both his routine and his lyrics, his vocal performance occasionally comes up short. In a show that is constantly name checking vocal powerhouses, it’s perhaps inevitable that any performance would pale in comparison, but there are moments that feel a little too close to the young, training-free version of Sakellaris for comfort.

But for every wavering note, there are flickers of recognition in Sakellaris’ tale. From how homophobia often has roots in men-only sporting activities that involve body obsession and showering together, to the need for self-appreciation, Sakellaris’ stated aim of achieving an hour of queer joy is just about fulfilled.

The show’s overriding message is that self-acceptance, and indeed self-celebration, is essential; you have to be your own ‘stan’. That message may not be profound or new – RuPaul has been ending every episode of Drag Race with the same sentiment for 19 seasons now – but, with everything going on in terms of the ongoing struggle for LGBTQ+ acceptance, it never hurts to hear it spun in new and entertaining ways.

Scott Matthewman