Let it Be at the Lyceum Theatre Sheffield Review
Let it Be
Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield
22-27 February 2016
Reviewed by Marianne Rowley
I was very lucky to be picked to go and see Let it Be; a Celebration of the music of The Beatles at the Lyceum Theatre in Sheffield. The Lyceum theatre is situated on Tudor Square in the heart of Sheffield City Centre next to the word famous Crucible Theatre. It is a grade II listed building which was built in 1897. It was recently refurbished to its former glory and offers easy access for all. It has plenty of toilets, disabled toilets and changing facilities.
There are a couple of local car parks nearby: the Q Park on Charles Street where you can get 1 hour free by claiming a voucher from the box office and the NCP on Arundel Gate. The Q Park is slightly further away but the discount makes it worth wile. There is a lot of bars and restaurant in the vicinity for a pre-drinks or pre-meal show.
My husband and I went for the opening evening of the show on Monday 22nd February 2016. The performance was due to start at 7.45pm for 2h30m. As we picked up our tickets and program, an announcement was made that the show would be starting at 7.55pm. Even though, there is a bar on site, as it was only 7.30pm, we decided to go across the square to enjoy a pre-drink show. I perused the program whilst having my drink. It includes 50 years of The Beatles with a few quirky details about them, a write up by Tony Blackburn, the details of each member of the Company (a piece of paper was also inserted to provide us with more information about a couple of extra members), a list of the musical numbers, some more details about the Creatives and the Producers and some beautiful pictures of the Company during their show.
We made our way back and were seated in the stalls in row L seat 23 and 24 (aisle seat). Because it is an old theatre, there isn’t a lot of leg room so once you are seated, you will need to stand up to let other people come through.
As you would expect, the stage curtain was down but as you were waiting, they were 2 screens showing old videos from the 1960’s including adverts, shows and some quiz questions about the Beatles which I thought was a very nice touch.
Before the start of the show, they ask you to put your mobile phone on silence (of course). However, they did say you were allowed to video and take pictures of the performance and to share it on social media as long as you didn’t you flash photography. A refreshing change and nice to see them taking full advantage of a bit of free advertising.
The show starts in black and white in the Cavern Club in Liverpool, takes you to the Royal Variety Performance, changes to colour in America where they played the Shea Stadium in New York. The use of back screens, lights and flashes to portray each venue is amazing, making you feel like you could actually be there and getting everyone in the spirit of what it was really like.
The second part of the show starts with the Sergeant Pepper era to Yellow Submarine via Magical Mystery Tour. They do 2 encores ending with Hey Jude so make sure you do not leave until the lights come back on!
The musicians were outstanding in their portrayal of each band member. They were great singers and very accomplished musicians. They interacted really naturally with each other as well as with the audience, incorporating a broken guitar sting as well as some big fans of Ringo in the performance. The moustache, hair and outfits change are really interesting to watch as they transport you through the years of The Beatles. I loved the fact that they stayed on stage at the end to wave off the audience.
Now, I have to admit I don’t know a lot about The Beatles. I know their biggest hits and what they represent. So I wasn’t sure what to expect. What a show it was! It was like attending your very own Beatles concert! The Company had you clapping your hands, singing along, standing on your feet, flashing your phones… This was definitely a concert to remember and we really enjoyed it!
I would highly recommend it.
Rating: 5/5 
Tickets cost from £22 to £30 (booking fees may apply).
Let It Be is at the Lyceum Theatre in Sheffield until 27 February 2016. For more information or to book tickets click here or call the box office on 0114 249 6000.
Lyceum Theatre, Norfolk St, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S1 1DA | 0114 249 6000
