Reviewed by Amy Adeliyi
My dad and I had a fantastic night at That’ll Be The Day the Christmas party at the Kings Theatre in Southsea, Portsmouth last night. What a highly energetic musical show it was. The change from song to song was very slick, seamlessly moving from scene to scene. The medleys were fantastic each showcasing the casts immense talents. They all had a brilliant ranges and the energy to dance and jump around the stage.
The audience loved the Dolly Parton set and the cast had the audience up and dancing along to ‘Take me home country road’. The show is freshly choreographed each year with a new show especially for their Christmas special. The songs ranged from the 1950’s to the 80s, with a fun addition of their take on Christmas panto. My favourites had to be the Aretha Franklin songs and The Pogues.
The Kings Theatre is a beautiful building with ornate gilded decorations and beautiful scenery embellished on the ceilings. The theatre had a merchandise table where you can purchase programmes, diaries, key rings and dvds from the show, although there wasn’t any pressure to purchase any extras. The only negative from the evening was the seating. We had seats in the upper circle and there wasn’t enough room to sit without crushing your knees on the seat in front, we moved in the interval to the bench seats in the wings which was a better experience for the second half. So I would recommend the stalls or wings if you are taller or like to feel the circulation in your legs!
You definitely get more for your money with long sets at 1hr 30 minutes for each Act, with a 20 minute interval. The bar is open before the performance and during the interval to purchase snacks and drinks. You can also pre-order drinks to collect in the interval to save queueing time. There are also stands to purchase ice-cream tubs in the interval. The theatre staff were on hand to assist throughout the performance and could be seen dancing in the aisles.
Parking can be an issue around the theatre, but if you are able to arrive early for the show and drive around adjacent roads you may be able to park on the streets surrounding the theatre. There is a taxi rank outside the theatre and bus stops close by.
Definitely a show to get you into the Christmas spirit and fans of their regular show fans will not be disappointed. My dad has already booked tickets to see their upcoming show in February . A 5 * rating from us.
Rating: 5/5
For other shows at the Kings Theatre in Portsmouth visit kingsportsmouth.co.uk or call the box office on 023 9282 8282.
The Kings Theatre, Albert Road, Southsea, Portsmouth, Hants, PO5 2QJ | 023 9282 8282
