@ Church Hill Theatre, Edinburgh until Sat 14 Feb 2015

Edinburgh University Footlights bring to the stage this energetically performed version of the Broadway show, Rent. The youthful vibrancy of the enthusiastic cast drives this production through some jaunty large-scale musical numbers as we uncover the lives of a group of friends living in 80s New York. The show’s protagonists are dealing with a number of severe hurdles such as poverty, AIDS, and drug addiction, yet they find strength in their friendship and in the search for their artistic integrity.

Out of the large cast there are a few standout performers: Joe Christie as Mark Cohen brings a likeable naturalism to his performance that keeps the show grounded. His performance of Tango Maureen alongside the quirky Caroline Elms as the highly strung Joanne Jefferson is one of the surprising highlights of the production. Meanwhile, Scott Meenan as transvestite Angel gets the audience into a flurry with a wildly sassy rendition of Today for You.

After the show stopping La Vie Boheme that closes Act I, the show does flounder somewhat with the second act’s more melodramatic moments. A spot of overacting creeps in at times, as some cast members choose to play their character at a high emotional frequency. There’s at least three points where one of the main characters runs off the stage crying; a little more light and shade would have made the emotional journey more rounded.  The staging can also be a little awkward. Placing the band in a circle in the middle of the stage causes a bit of shuffling around and often too many characters are in darkness. The backlighting that is favoured more often than not causes some of the good work of the actors to be lost.

Despite a few slip-ups however, the production is a resounding success with pitch perfect vocals, wonderful choreography and an enjoyable ensemble creating a perfect homage to the spirit of Jonathan Larson‘s seminal rock musical. Judging from the buzz of the audience and the standing ovation honoured, it’s a resounding success.