NEVER FORGET. To 25 October 2008.
London.
NEVER FORGET
by Danny Brocklehurst, Guy Jones and Ed Curtis music by Gary Barlow, Dan Hartman, Ian Levine.
Savoy Theatre, The Strand, London, WC2R 0ET To 25 October 2008.
Mon – Thu & Sat 7.45pm, Fri 8:30, Mat Fri 5:30 and Sat 3:00pm.
Runs 2hr 30min One interval.
TICKETS: 0870 164 8787.
www.neverforgetthemusical.com
Review: Geoff Ambler 23 May 2008.
Good cheese, boy band hits and Sophia Ragavelas set the Savoy on fire.
With a Take That popularity resurgence taking place, Never Forget’s story about five men flung into a TT tribute band is an uncannily timely opening, considering that it was conceived while the more famous four (five) were languishing in reality TV and enjoying their royalties.
Following the fortunes of the five band members, Never Forget focuses more on Ash (Dean Chisnall) the Gary Barlow of the group, son of Babs (Marilyn Cutts) whose pub, to provide motivation, is heavily in debt, and fiancé of Chloe (Sophia Ragavelas).
Their relationship is destined to need its fire relighting and you can be sure that he will lose her and want her Back For Good at some point in the proceedings. The remaining four are Jake (Craige Els) as cocksure Robbie; Adrian (Tim Driesdan) in the shy Mark Owen role; former stripper and current fool Dirty Harry (Eaton James) in the Howard slot and Jose (Stephane Anelli) as a lisping Jason Orange from Seville! As a tribute band they are a dream.
Unscrupulous manager Ron (Teddy Kempner) places the new band in a talent competition and shortly after sells Ash to a similarly unscrupulous record label siren Annie (Joanne Farrell), which is about as complex as the plot gets. But this is not about the story, Never Forget is bursting with high energy dance, stalls-singeing flames, choreographed rain (that provides unexpected hilarity) and all of Take That’s greatest hits, with the subtlety of a million love songs in a love story.
Sophia Ragavelas has always been a highlight of the musical stage and even in this purely feel-good show she manages to make much of rejected Chloe and, in particular, her solo Love Ain’t Here Anymore, which garners its own ovation, before becoming a stunning Lulu in Relight My Fire. This was too much for most of the audience, who finally leapt from their seats to dance.
Never moving beyond the level of processed cheese it still packs a lot of musical energy. Possibly more of a squeezy cheese than a farmhouse mature but Never Forget understands its market and hits the target right between those squealing hen-nighters' eyes.
Ash Sherwood: Dean Chisnall.
Jake Turner: Craige Els.
Adrian Banks: Tim Driesen.
Dirty Harry: Eaton James.
Jose Reize: Stephane Anelli.
Chloe Turner: Sophia Ragavelas.
Annie Borrowman: Joanne Farrell.
Ron Freeman: Teddy Kempner.
Babs Sherwood: Marilyn Cutts.
Company:
Adam C Booth, Nikki Davis-Jones, Mike Denman, Nia Fisher, David Flynn, Ivan de Freitas, Jamie Hughes-Ward, Lynne Jenkinson, Scott Maurice, Nikki Mullins, Elliot Nixon, Ashley Nottingham, David O’Dell, Amber Rimell, Natalie Somerville, Leigh-Anne Stone, Amy Thornton, Tamara Wall.
Swings:
Ivan de Freitas, Lynne Jenkinson, Nikki Mullins, Elliot Nixon, Ashley Nottingham.
Director: Ed Curtis.
Designer: Bob Bailey.
Lioghting: James Whiteside.
Sound: Richard Brooker.
Musical Director: Matt Smith.
Choreographer: Karen Bruce.
Costume: Christopher Woods.
2008-05-28 01:07:15