Open Wings and Open Hearts - A Night at Kiss Me Quickstep

Derby Theatre, June 2025

There’s something nostalgic for me about stepping into Derby Theatre on a weekday evening, a familiar hum of people getting performance ready, both on and off stage, the clink of glasses at the café bar, and for me, the quiet pride that comes from supporting a production made right here in our city. Kiss Me Quickstep is the latest Made in Derby production, and it dances confidently into that space where laughter, entertainment and humanity meet under the spotlight.

The arts is such an important outlet for us, we need to be able to see it in action in order to deem it accessible, these Made in Derby productions invite new audiences in, of all ages, as well as encouraging old timers like me back through the door.

Firstly, the wings were left open, yes, open - I've never seen that in a production before, we could see all of the rigging and the Flymans doing their work, and there was a lot of work to do - the chandeliers were impressive. This design choice subtly shifts the atmosphere, pulling us into the world of the performers not just during dance routines but it gave the whole production a rawness and intimacy that I appreciated.

It’s a play set in Blackpool with plenty of sparkle and laugh-out-loud moments that felt perfectly timed, but beneath the glitz of the ballroom world lies something deeper. Kiss Me Quickstep carefully pulls back the curtain on competition culture, relationships, ambition, and the untold stories we carry just below the surface.

Jabez Sykes as Luka started the show and from the moment he walked onto the stage there was an instant charm in his physicality, that first scene between Luka and Nancy (played by Clair Gleave) felt authentic, and I get the feeling that this was a feeling purposefully created by the shows Director, Lilac Yosiphon.

What struck me most, though, was the way the second half of the play shifted tone. One of my theatre companions described it afterwards, “It was like a book - but not the ending you expected.” That’s exactly it. The storyline, which initially seemed like it might follow a predictable path, instead gently layered in nuance and some interesting turns. Themes that had quietly simmered, judgment, pressure, hidden grief, fractured connections, began to rise to the surface. It became clear that everyone on that stage was carrying something unseen - and isn’t that a reflection of life?

I also enjoyed the direction, subtle but effective. The amount of time actors spent visible in the background, still immersed in their roles kept us feeling like we still had one eye on the ballroom throughout, it reminded me that stories are happening all around us, even when we’re not looking.

The ‘final’ routine, led by Hollie Jane Stephens and Ashley Gilmour, was a true standout, tightly choreographed, physically demanding, and pure joy. The sweat was real, the energy infectious, and it gave the audience a true sense of what it's like to watch a ballroom competition, the cheers from the audience were certainly real.

And then a lovely final touch, the unmistakable voice of Alan Dedicoat (if you know, you know) added just the right dose of warmth to wrap things up.

I’ll be going again before the end of the run, and I’d wholeheartedly encourage others to do the same. Kiss Me Quickstep is a bold, funny, and unexpectedly tender piece of theatre, the kind of production that reminds you why it matters to support local arts. Earlier this year, I saw Of Mice and Men on the same stage, and I’m still struck by how radically different these productions have been. That’s the beauty of Derby Theatre: it doesn’t stand still. It creates. It surprises. It invites you in.

Let’s keep showing up for it.

Please see the full cast list here they were all brilliant.

Book tickets for Kiss Me Quickstep here.

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