Theatre Review: The Band - Theatre Royal Haymarket ✭✭✭

The Band

Theatre Royal Haymarket

11 Dec 2018: This new Tim Firth musical is a product of the BBC reality series Let it Shine, in which the audience were asked to vote for their favourite singers to star in the West End Show, with music from musical sensations Take That.

The show tells the unexpectedly poignant and touching story of how music & friendship has an impact on our lives, focusing on a hilarious group of 16-year old girls on their way to see ‘the band’ (a fateful concert that will change their lives) and the same group of women 25 years later.

It is a really good story line, with both the young and older actors portraying their characters incredibly well with Rachel Lumberg particularly strong as the pivotal lead. Unfortunately for us, we felt that the vocal capabilities of 'The Band' (Five to Five) were not fully presented throughout the performance. Although they are trying not to imitate Take That, the catalogue of songs requires strong voices to deliver the score to its full potential. On the other hand, the iconic choreography from Kim Gavin and technical values of the show added much entertainment, with a lovely lighting design from Patrick Woodroffe complimenting Jon Bauser's design.

I wouldn't call this another Jukebox Musical, but a play with music, again it tells the story exquisitely and is an entertaining evening at the theatre. The musicians did a grand job playing throughout, it would have been nice to have seen them at the curtain call, instead of being silhouetted amongst the set.

Hardcore Take That fans may come away disappointed, but the story makes up for it, and is a lovely piece of theatre in the end.

Three stars ✭✭✭

LISTINGS INFORMATION

1 December 2018 – 12 January 2019

Theatre Royal Haymarket

18 Suffolk Street

London SW1Y 4HT

Box Office: 020 7930 8800

Performances: Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm

Ticket Prices From: £16.50

2019 TOUR SCHEDULE

The Lowry, Salford