Dreamgirls**** | Enduring musical still has wow factor after 40 years

Sharing a cast packed with outstanding vocalists, she commands centre stage with her jaw-dropping showstopper “And I am Telling You” in this fabulous musical which continues to wow 40 years on from its Broadway debut.

You can draw lines back to the early days of the Supremes as it tells the story of surviving the highs and lows of an exploitative music industry which tears friendships apart and treats so many as pawns.

The Dreamettes are a trio whose ambitions to make it to the top are shaped by ruthless managers who decide what it takes to make it.

They are pushed into the role of backing singers for star Jimmy Early, superbly portrayed by Brandon Lee Sears - a performance that fused the ethos of Little Richard with James Brown - and Dennis is shifted from lead to backing vocals to achieve the look the manager wants.

The fault lines quickly emerge between her and Denna Jones (Natalie Kassanga) and Lorell Robinson (Paige Peddie) as journeys take new, unexpected directions under the control of the sevangali like manager Curtis Taylor Jr (Dom Hartley Harris) despite the best endeavours of their faithful and grounded song-writer C.C (Shem Omari Jones), who holds tight to their original dreams.

It’s anything but a jukebox musical though – Dreamgirls is immersed in some weighty issues which are all crammed packed into a long and busy first half; fragmented friendships, the inherent racism and prejudice of the music industry, and complex relationships that unravel under all the intense pressure.

But, as with all musicals, it’s the showstoppers that capture the attention, and nothing will come close to matching the intensity and power of Dennis delivering “And I am Telling You “ to end act one. A truly electrifying moment.

Some of the vocals in the early numbers felt lost in the sound which robbed them of some power, but a show with the the power to generate standing ovations after four decades can comfortably overcome any tech issues and deliver a first-class night out.

Edinburgh Playhouse, until Saturday, April 16

Tickets: https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/dreamgirls/edinburgh-playhouse/