REVIEW | The Stock Aitken Waterman Musical: I Should Be So Lucky
Written by Cathie
General warnings: gambling references, flashing lights, loud noises, pyrotechnics, confetti, smoke and haze.
If any musicals showcase the pop musical panache of the 80s then the Stock Aitkin Waterman’s jukebox musical I Should Be So Lucky certainly aims high. Featuring well known hits from their catalogue including ‘Never Too Late’, ‘You Spin Me Round’, ‘Respectable’ and the infamous Rick Astley’s ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’, this musical aims to please fans of Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan amongst others.
The plot is very thin attempt at romantic comedy where it follows Ella (played fantastically by Lucie-Mae Summer) who is jilted by her Fiancé (Billy Roberts) at the altar. Shenanigans ensue as Ella and her family decide to travel on the honeymoon anyway in Turkey. Throughout the musical Ella is guided by mirror talks with fairy godmotheresque Kylie who helps her choose her next steps and find out her inner self. The plot is very confusing, with lots of minor subplots which aren’t explored or explained properly and the reasoning behind the original jilting is a very weak example of the miscommunication trope. With tighter writing and stronger direction, this could be much improved. As a jukebox musical, the focus is mostly on performing the songs with style and truly excellent dancing choreography. This is a strong point to showcase the strong cast but makes the storyline suffer. Once you realise that the story is completely superfluous to performing the songs, the zaniness and general ridiculousness become very entertaining to watch as you wonder what strange occurrences will happen next.
The cast by contrast are fabulous high energy performers who have a natural light chemistry together. They sang and danced fabulously and really encapsulated the 80s vibe well. The entire audience was dancing at the end of the show which showcases how fun it can feel. The supporting cast has quite a few standouts including Scott Paige and Kayla Carter. Their singing, dancing and stage presence were incredible to watch.
Listen Now: Interview with Scott Paige, I Should Be So Lucky
The set designed by Tom Rodgers was also another strength to this production. Literally performed within giant hearts, this set really helped make the hotel feel more believable and the cgi screen worked well to set the tones of the scenes, including the beach and gambling scenes in act 2.
This is a very camp storyline, brilliant choreography and a fun night out which definitely blasted away my January blues. If you want a lighthearted evening dancing well known 80s hits then this is the show for you.
On a UK Tour until 11 May 2024.
☆ ☆ ☆
