Bend It Like Beckham The Musical – Phoenix Theatre

Preeya Kalidas in Bend It Like Beckham The Musical at the Phoenix Theatre, London. Picture: Ellie Kurttz

Bend It Like Beckham The Musical continues at the Phoenix Theatre, London.

Star rating: 3 stars ★ ★ ★

Football-themed musicals aren’t exactly all that common. The only West End production that springs to mind is Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Beautiful Game, which (until its recent Fringe revival at the Union Theatre) was best left forgotten. Even expanding to successful musicals set in the world of other sports, there’s, um, Damn Yankees and that’s about it (we can argue about whether Chess counts at another time).

Of course, what all such musicals have in common is that the sports arena is really just the precinct in which relationships and other stories of humanity occur. And such is the case with Bend It Like Beckham, Gurinder Chadha’s adaptation of her 2002 film of the same name. The story of young London Sikh Jess Bhamra (Natalie Dew), the musical features football strongly, but is really about a clash of ideologies – not just East versus West, but between a younger generation that is already freely mixing and matching global culture, and their parents’ generation that yearns to retain their heritage and identity.

The original film succeeded admirably in telling such a story, and having Chadha adapt her own work (with a book co-written by her partner and longtime collaborator, Paul Mayeda Berges) has ensured that the storytelling element of the musical adaptation is equally strong. Unfortunately, while that part of the production hits the back of the net, there are other areas where the stage production is far too disappointing.

The mix of cultures is nowhere better expressed than in its music. The majority of the show’s numbers are in a Western style, with music by Howard Goodall and lyrics by Charles Hart. Orchestrations by Goodall and Kuljit Bhamra provide a fusion of musical style that flits between all-out show tune and 100% Bollywood. Heritage singers Shahid Khan and Rekha Sawhney provide the vocal backbone to a fusion of styles that, when it works, provides Bend It Like Beckham with a unique and winning style.

Unfortunately, elsewhere in the score the show struggles to achieve the musical polish to which a West End production should aspire. Too many of Goodall’s numbers are scored at the same tempo, with little to no variation of style or tone. Similarly, Hart’s anodyne lyrics rarely possess the bite or humour with which Chadha and Berges’ book is stuffed.

Matters aren’t helped by the Act I being stuffed with a series of reprises of the unimpressive ‘Girl Perfect’, which is presented as an anthem fulcrum around which Jess and her friend Jules (the ever-impressive Lauren Samuels) profess their ambition and drive. Its continued repetition helps contribute to a numbingly overlong Act I that keeps losing momentum so that the same plot points can be reiterated with repetition of the same musical themes. The production is currently running a full half-hour longing than stated in the programme, and it’s easy to see that most of that excess occurs before the interval.

It is no small relief that Act II is better paced, more impressive musically – indeed, with not one but two anthems, ‘Glorious’ and ‘Result’ that suit the footballers’ dreams far better than ‘Girl Perfect’.

It is here where Dew’s portrayal of Jess really begins to shine, just as Jamie Campbell Bower’s coach-cum-love interest Joe starts to take notice of her. Also coming into his own in Act II is Jess’ best friend Tony (West End newcomer Jamal Andréas) – although his big number, ‘Bend It’, a duet with Dew, comes perilously close to suggesting that for a gay man, or a woman footballer, being in the closet is okay.

What helps balance out the show’s uneven pace and structure is a barnstorming supporting performance from Preeya Kalidas as Jess’ exuberant older sister, Pinky. Hers is both the most well-rounded and best performed character in the entire show, and Kalidas’ ability to switch between musical and dance styles with ease gives some clue as to what Bend It Like Beckham could have been. As it is, Aletta Collins’ choreography is generally disappointing, with so many missed opportunities. What could have been the greatest showcase of the culture clash, a combination of a crucial football match and the dancing at Pinky’s wedding, comes across as confused and chaotic instead.

But nothing is as disappointing as the scenes involving real footballs and the attempts to portray David Beckham’s bending free kick that gives the show its title. Save for one impressive practical effect in Act I, any tricks that a pro footballer would be able to manage with a physical ball are instead portrayed using a slow-moving spotlight effect. It’s the sort of misstep that could be tolerated in a low budget Fringe production: for a show that aspires to be West End calibre, it’s nigh on unforgivable.

And that is Bend it Like Beckham’s biggest problem in a nutshell: despite all its strengths, its impressive book and believable, even when comic, characters, far too many of its shots at goal go wide. You may not leave the Phoenix Theatre feeling as sick as a parrot, but nor does the musical make you over the moon.

Scott Matthewman

www.benditlikebeckhamthemusical.co.uk