Last Updated on 29 January 2025 by Colette
This post features a gifted experience & affiliate links
It’s the end of January, we’ve made it through the coldest, darkest and most miserable days of the year and frankly we’re ready for cheering up!
NOW! That’s What I Call A Musical invites you to “relive the soundtrack of your youth”. Celebrating 40 years (!) of iconic and chart-topping compilation albums, this brand-new musical comedy has an unbeatable 80s soundtrack and show-stopping direction and choreography by Strictly Come Dancing’s Craig Revel Horwood.
The story begins at a high school reunion in 2009 – 20 years after leaving school. The sort of high school reunion the forces you to take stock of your life and to face up to your successes and failures – the sort of high school reunion none of us would actually want to go to!
Through a series of flashbacks and spectacular 80s hits, we follow the story of best friends April and Gemma and their hopes and dreams for the future. Young Gemma (played by Nikita Johal) dreams of becoming a nurse and a mum whilst young April (played by Maia Hawkins in an impressive professional debut) has somewhat grander ambitions of becoming a Hollywood actress. Whilst the girls know that they have different plans for their lives, they promise to always be there for one another.
Life takes over, April heads off to LA to become a star and Gemma gets her head down and passes her nursing exams, meeting and marrying husband Tim along the way. Before long the girls have started to grow apart, April stops replying to Gemma’s letters, she doesn’t make it home for Gemma’s wedding after landing a part in a sitcom, and the girls slowly lose touch.
Back at the school reunion Gemma (played by Nina Wadia) is not especially keen to be catching up with old school friends but is holding out hope that April (played by Sam Bailey – what a voice!) might just turn up – and just when it looks like that won’t be the case, April arrives looking every inch the glamorous and successful LA actress, and the friends are reunited after 20 years apart.
Of course the rekindling of their friendship is not smooth sailing, there’s resentment and untold stories to be dealt with as well as some present day relationship dramas to get a grip of before the women can move on with their lives.
Whilst the story has plenty of serious moments, the overall mood is fun, fluffy and just cheesy enough! The 80s hits had us giving it the shoulder bop from the very first song and brought huge smiles to our faces (I may have also found myself belting out some 80s pop ballads in the car on the way home!) The audience was fully invested with lots of laughter and clapping along – there was even a collective sharp intake of breath at one point! We loved the nostalgic references to things like video rental shops, that Walls sausages advert with the dog or the Birds Eye potato waffles tune – which has been stuck in my head ever since!
The choreography had Craig Revel Horwood’s stamp all over it – cheesy and tongue in cheek with plenty of over-the-top showmanship – lifts, high kicks and everything else you could have wanted to see on stage. Catherine especially loved Young Tim’s dance when he first met Gemma which was just hilarious.
From the choreography to the costumes to the scenery, the whole musical was a feast for the eyes – the scenery was constantly changing from things like a poster on one wall which changed throughout the performance depending whether we were in a bedroom / pub / living room or even hospital bed to huge pull out sections which moved us from the park to the video shop, to Gemma’s parents’ kitchen or back to the pub again for the reunion – the changes to the scenery were seamless.
Whilst the storyline itself is a little predictable, the nostalgia and 80’s fun carries it – I didn’t come to this musical expecting anything highbrow or especially intelligent!
One bit of Now That’s What I Call a Musical that just really didn’t do it for me was Sonia’s guest appearance (yes actual 53yr old Sonia from the late 80s). I just didn’t really get the point of it – it felt like some sort of weird hell dream! Catherine said it reminded her of Cher’s appearance in the second Abba film – I haven’t watched that but I’ll take her word for it! Sonia was clearly enjoying herself but it all just felt a bit unnecessary for me! (If you are watching Now That’s What I Call a Musical on tour elsewhere- you will get either Sinitta, Sonia, Carol Decker or Toyah Willcox in this scene)
If you’re looking for a laugh-till-you-cry style distraction from the misery that is January, Now That’s What I Call a Musical is on at Opera House Manchester until this weekend.
Book tickets for NOW! That’s What I Call A Musical at The Opera House running from Tuesday 28th January to Saturday 1st February 2025. (You can find further tour dates here!)
If you’re looking for parking near Manchester Opera House, you’ll find that here and you might find this list of the best restaurants near Manchester Opera House handy too!
You can read my friend Sarah’s review of Now That’s What I Call a Musical here and then check out our guide to Manchester theatre next!
Photo credits: Rich Southgate | Pamela Raith
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