After a triumphant run in the West End, Let It Be is now giving the regions a taste of Beatlemania.
Known as 'The Beatles Musical' - this is more of a glorified tribute show, but this concert-like performance is one hell of a crowd-pleaser. There isn't much to say about it: four guys who closely resemble each band-member take you chronologically through the Beatles back-catalogue of hits. What is clever is that the story is told through news reports and real TV footage from the archives that fill in the time between set changes. With each change of scenery is a change of venue and often country. You journey from the humble beginnings of The Cavern, their appearance on the Royal Variety Performance of 1963 at the Prince Of Wales Theatre - where this show played in late 2012 and into America.
At times you are reminded that this is but a reflection upon the 60's, a conscious imitation with reference to CD's and Ringo's narration of Thomas The Tank Engine. Where the show perhaps lacks is with dialogue between the boys, it's very much imitation of live performance after live performance, it may have been interesting to delve deeper into the backstories but for the hardcore fan it's crowd-pleasing hit after hit.
I can't say that I ever listen to The Beatles and have never really taken an interest in their music but there's something euphoric about a large group of people singing along and swaying to Hey Jude! Not that I gained much in the way of nostalgia as I wasn't there to begin with but what this does offer is the chance to live and experience the 60's in what felt authentic.
The absence of Yellow Submarine (one of the only Beatles songs I know!) wasn't too disappointing - the show is more than packed with hits including the title song Let It Be, I Want To Hold Your Hand, Strawberry Fields Forever, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, Hard Day's Night, Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and When I'm 64 to name but a few...
Beatles-wise this is as good as you'll get. Even with my little Beatles experience I was able to enjoy this all-round quality production. You'll be standing, clapping and waving your arms and flags before you know it! You can see the show at Birmingham New Alexandra Theatre until Saturday 22 March. Book tickets here.
Cast List: Emanuele Angeletti, Michael Bramwell, John Brosnan, Ben Cullingworth, James Fox, Michael Gagliano, Steve Seere, Reuven Gershon, Graham Harvey, Stephen Hill, Paul Mannion, Luke Roberts (Each performance of the show is performed by five members of the company.)
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