Leeds Grand Theatre – 25 November 2023
Reviewed by Kevin Roberts
5*****
Advertised as the official Take That musical, it’s far more than that. In fact the story itself surpasses the band and the songs. Well written and based on a journey of five school friends. It tells a story of love, laugh and heartache and what it meant to be a fan of the biggest boy band of the 90s, and more importantly the importance of true friendship.
Act 1 begins with the lead character Rachel (Kym Marsh) carrying out the housework and reminiscing about her younger days, and what could have been. Go back 25 years and we are back with the young Rachel (Emilie Cunliffe) chatting with her school friend Debbie (Mary Moore), who informs her she had entered them in to a competition and they had won tickets to see “the band”. The act then focuses on the school friends and their enduring friendships.
Not wanting to give any spoilers, the second act much like the band, the friends reunite 25 years later and take you back to how their lives panned out and where they are now. With a few twists these characters all have their own personalities that endear you to them, portraying their relatable and flawed personalities in all their glory.
Tim Firth clearly intended to portray the girls in a similar vein to Take That, in the sense they follow the same path as a group of friends/band who had loved, lost, split up, but ultimately reformed and were hopefully back for good.
Most shows depend on intricate sets and clever lighting, but the set of Greatest Days is simple and the story relies on the characters to bring it to life and doesn’t detract from their story. The boys in the musical were fantastic with great voices and also great dancers. They also seamlessly help move the set around for each scene. The cast and the story, however steal the show for me. There were some stand out characters that made it funny and heartwarming and they were Kitty Harris who plays the young Heather, great comedy timing and Alan Stocks (Every Dave) that brought a few laughs from the audience. Although every member contributed to bring a fabulous musical alive.
If you’re a fan of Take That’s music and love a good story and a good cry, then I thoroughly recommend this musical.