EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE

Three reasons we’re excited for the drag-queen movie musical

RICHARD E. GRANT IS GETTING ALL DRAGGED UP

Any self-respecting drag movie needs a fierce headlining queen — and Jamie’s is none other than Richard E. Grant, swapping Withnail for withheels as drag star Loco Chanelle who, by day, goes by the more down-to-earth Hugo Battersby. It should be a towering performance that allows the actor to unleash his camp side in all its glory — all still grounded in a textured, human story.

AN UNAPOLOGETICALLY NORTHERN FEEL

The story of the real-life Jamie Campbell — who attended his school prom in a dress in 2011 — took place in County Durham. Both on stage and screen, Jamie’s fictionalised story of Jamie New (here played by newcomer Max Harwood) transplants the tale to Sheffield, with a script and songs saturated in Northern wit. The location isn’t just window-dressing — it’s personal to director Jonathan Butterell, who originated the stage show in his beloved home city. Butterell returns to helm the big-screen version, choosing to shoot in — yep — Sheffield. Even the production company is from Sheffield — Brit-flick institution Warp Films, behind the likes of This Is England and Four Lions.

THE POP-SMASH SONGS

Jamie should win over audiences typically allergic to musicals with its suite of witty pop hits, penned by Dan Gillespie Sells, songwriter and frontman for The Feeling. The stage show’s songs explode with melodic hooks and fizz with brash, mischievous humour right from opening number ‘And You Don’t Even Know It’ through to the disco strut of ‘Work Of Art’, while the title track has a hook you won’t unfix yourself from for weeks. There are weepies in there too, though — save your tissues for ‘He’s My Boy’.