An Officer and a Gentleman received a roaring standing ovation as it opened at the Mayflower Theatre on Tuesday evening.

A musical take on the 1982 film starring Richard Gere, An Officer and a Gentleman proved to be the perfect show for an 80s singalong.

The story follows the same plot as the Hollywood film, with Zack Mayo – a troubled yet fearless officer candidate – navigating his way through the United States navy whilst balancing forged friendships, estranged family, and romantic relationships.

Set to the backdrop of classic hits In the Navy Now, Material Girl, and Livin’ on a Prayer – the audience was transported back to 1982.

The music was definitely the highlight of the show, with timeless tunes incredibly sung by Luke Baker (Zack Mayo), Georgia Lennon, Sinead Long, and Paul French in the lead roles.

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(Image: Mayflower Theatre)

Lennon – who plays love interest Paula Pokrifki – stood out for her spectacular singing voice and had the opening night Southampton crowd hanging on her every note.

Jamal Kane Crawford provided a scene stealing performance as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley, whilst Olivia Foster-Brown delivered a charming performance with one of the most satisfying character arcs of the whole show.

The staging on display for An Officer and a Gentleman is a literal work of art, adapting from scene to scene with an effective use of lighting and props rather than wholescale changes.

There were many moments throughout the two-and-a-half-hour runtime played for laughs to counterbalance moments of grief and sadness (if you’ve seen the film you’ll need no introduction) which did largely work, though at times it risked downplaying the more dramatic scenes. 

An Officer and a Gentleman can be enjoyed by both fans of the film and complete newcomers to the story and runs at Mayflower Theatre until Saturday, June 29.