"Now That's What I Call a Musical" celebrates the 40th anniversary of the iconic NOW compilation albums. Set in Birmingham, 1989, and fast-forwarding to a 2009 school reunion, it promises a nostalgic ride through the 80s with a soundtrack full of hits. Directed by Craig Revel Horwood, the show aims to capture the spirit of the era but falls flat in several areas.
The plot centres around two childhood friends, Gemma and April, who reconnect at their school reunion after 20 years. This setup offers the potential for a heartfelt exploration of old friendships, nostalgia, and unresolved feelings. However, the execution is clumsy and disjointed.
The first act is particularly challenging, as 80s hits are awkwardly forced into scenes where they don’t feel relevant or natural. Instead of enhancing the narrative, the songs interrupt the flow, making the story feel fragmented. Emotional moments that could have been impactful are overshadowed by the urge to cram in another hit song.
The second act sees some improvement, with the narrative focusing more on the characters' reconnections and personal growth. While the story becomes more coherent and engaging at this point, it’s not enough to fully recover from the shaky start. Ultimately, the show’s reliance on nostalgia overshadows any meaningful character development, leaving the story feeling superficial and forced.
The set is intricate but overly complicated, causing noticeable delays during scene transitions. This technical complexity seems to overwhelm the production at times. While the costumes effectively scream "80s," the lighting does little to elevate the atmosphere or enhance key moments. For a show meant to evoke such a vibrant decade, the overall design feels surprisingly bland.
The show features a selection of iconic 80s hits, including Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Tainted Love, Hey Mickey, and Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves. While the soundtrack promises to evoke nostalgia, the integration of these songs into the story feels forced. Many of the musical numbers don’t flow naturally within the context of the scenes, making the transitions from dialogue to song awkward. The vocal arrangements and harmonies are inconsistent, with some songs feeling out of place and not as powerful as they should be. Despite the familiarity of the tunes, the overall musical experience falls short of its potential.
Craig Revel Horwood's choreography is surprisingly lacklustre. The routines are basic, lacking the energy and creativity one might expect from a production celebrating such an exuberant era. To make matters worse, the execution is sloppy, with noticeable missteps and an overall lack of precision from the cast.
Unfortunately, the cast struggles to deliver, with underwhelming performances across the board. In particular, their attempts at Birmingham accents fall flat, leaving one to question why the show is set in Birmingham at all. The vocal performances, while passable, are often uneven, and the cast lacks the chemistry needed to make the relationships believable.
While "Now That's What I Call a Musical" might have promised a fun, nostalgic trip back to the 80s, it ultimately falls short in several key areas. From disjointed music and weak choreography to underwhelming performances and technical hiccups, the show fails to live up to its potential. Despite a slight improvement in Act 2, the overall experience remains disappointing. Two stars for effort, but this show doesn't quite hit the mark.
Now That's What I Call a Musical is at the Sheffield Lyceum until Saturday 14th September 2024, you can purchase tickets by clicking on the button below.
If you would like more information about the show click the button below for the show's official website.
Photo Credit - Pamela Raith
*Our tickets for this show were kindly gifted in exchange for an honest review
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