Remember my name, fame
I'm gonna live forever
I'm gonna learn how to fly, high
Oh for the insatiable, inextinguishable ebullience of being young.
A time before life's vagaries douse this exuberance in reality.
Fame the Musical, which is running to real acclaim the London's Peacock Theatre, is the stage version of the 1980 musical film of the same name.
It is the UK capital's leg of a 30th anniversary tour of Fame starring Keith Jack and Jorgie Porter with Mica Paris
It focuses on the 1980 multi-ethnic intake of students to New York's High School of performing arts.
A group of winnable actors, dancers and musicians in whom the school has identified the talent to make it.
The musical encompasses the four years from their arrival at college to graduation and embraces the (many) highs and one desperate low of their time in between.
In doing so it provides the platform for a string of set piece music and dance numbers as performed with all the energetic, irreverent gusto one would expect from teenage aspirants.
That Fame takes a formulaic, largely benign approach to student life is in no way a criticism, for this musical is as much a celebration of youth as it is of emerging talent.
A wonderful example of this is Simon Anthony's tremendous performance as Schlomo.
While not getting star billing, Anthony sings, dances and acts wile playing piano and acoustic with an infectious zeal.
Stephanie Rojas rightly deserves the plaudits she receives as Carmen, a sassy, supremely confident young woman whose naive pursuit of fame hits the buffers of a cruel world.
And finally, Mica Paris performs a genuine 'bring the house down' in her role s Miss Sherman.
Supporting these is a hugely talented cast who all deserve praise.
Those, like me, who first Fame in the cinema or as a TV spin-off those 30 odd years ago might be excused for wondering if this musical retains its allure.
Or might it instil a melancholy for ones own lost youth.
Not at all.
This is a frenetic, heart-warming evening in the theatre for those who want to sit back and be right royally entertained from start to finish.
Fame runs at the Peacock Theatre until 19 October 2019
The Peacock, Portugal Street, Holborn, WC2A 2HT, London
Useful links
www.peacocktheatre.com/whats-on/fame
www.fameuktour.co.uk