Come Together at Royal Court Liverpool Review

Reviews

18 Mar

Written by Roby for Theatre and Tonic.

Disclaimer: Tickets were gifted in return for an honest review. All views are my own

Come Together is “the Beatles concert that you never got to see” - a bold claim that the show certainly lives up to. It’s a must-see for any Beatles fan and is packed with brilliant tunes and talented musicians.

The show to me almost feels like a live radio show; it’s stacked with classics from the Lennon-McCartney song book with live narration talking you through their songwriting journey. It feels personal, raw, and intimate and allows for a real exploration of their songs. My dad and I both came away having learnt new things about The Beatles - something that not all Beatles shows manage to do.

Both performers, Tom Connor and Mark Newnham, are incredible. Their characterisation is brilliant and their vocal talents are so strong - they tackle all songs throughout the show with ease. The pair have also written the show, and, at times, some of their dialogue can be a bit of a cliche and lack naturalness but this does not diminish their incredibly strong performances and onstage chemistry with each other.

A huge shoutout must also be made to Musical Director Howard Gray and the superb band of four (Ben Gladwin, Greg Joy, Adam Keast, Mike Woodvine). They work tirelessly to create excellent music that really is the backbone of the show. Some particular musical standouts for me were ‘Please Please Me’, ‘Don’t Let Me Go’, and ‘In My Life’ (which is a really poignant moment in the first half that resonates long after the final note is heard).

The lighting design (Doug Kuhrt), AV design (Jamie Jenkin), and sound design (Kate Harvey) all complement the show well. The set and costume design (Christopher McCourt) is also really nice, resembling McCartney and Lennon well. I particularly loved the light up windows which added a much needed pop of colour during the up-beat numbers.

Come Together is a night out that is perfect for any Beatles fan. The format works well, the performers are incredibly talented, and the music is pitch-perfect. If you’re a Beatles fan, you do not want to miss this!