The Official Take That Musical Greatest Days At Blackpool Opera House Review

Reviewed by Cath Joyce 

Last night we went to see The Official Take That Musical Greatest Days which is currently showing at Blackpool Opera House. The large theatre was packed and there was a fantastic atmosphere, and that was even before the show had started!

Celebrating the 30th anniversary of Take That’s first ever UK number 1 single, Pray and coinciding with the movie which was released in June, the musical features all the top Take That songs that you know and love, alongside a story packed full of laughter, friendship and nostalgia. Created by award winning writer Tim Firth, he has cleverly taken the popular hit songs and used them as a soundtrack to the show, rather than trying to force the lyrics to fit a weak storyline, like some other jukebox musicals do. The overall result is a winning combination – a well written story alongside great music which is everything you want from a night out at the theatre.

The story follows 5 best friends, Rachel, Heather, Zoe, Claire and Debbie who, like the majority of teenage girls in the 90’s, are obsessed with pop music and especially boy bands. We’re back in a time when every teenager watched Top of The Pops, read Smash Hits and spent ages taping music from the radio and watching the show. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one seeing their teenage self reflected on stage!

Debbie wins a competition to see their boy band idols live on stage and the girls travel to Manchester to see them. After a fantastic night out they are all on a high, but on the way home there is a tragic accident and rather than bringing them closer together the opposite happens and the girls, who were so close, end up drifting apart. After not seeing each other for 25 years they finally reunite when Rachel wins a competition to see the newly reunited band in Athens. Struck with nostalgia she tracks her friends down and they all travel to Greece, rekindling their friendship and having plenty of fun, whilst also discovering what has been happening in the years they have been apart.

The first half of the show is largely told by the younger girls, Mary Moore as Debbie is the driving force behind the group, her can-do attitude and enthusiasm took me right back to being a teenager when you felt anything was possible. Local girl Kitty Harris (daughter of the late ventriloquist Keith Harris) plays young Heather brilliantly, and it was great to see Kym Marsh’s daughter Emilie Cunliffe playing the younger version of Kym’s character, Rachel.

When the friends meet for their trip to Athens Kym takes the lead and is joined by her friends, now older and having led very different lives to those they expected.

The whole cast are brilliant but special mention has to be given to Alan Stocks as Dave, he plays a number of different characters and adds plenty of dry humour to an already fun show.

It wouldn’t be much of a musical without a band and the five boy band members are great, performing the dance moves and wearing the clothes of the era that we all remember so fondly.

It was a great night out that we really enjoyed along with the entire audience who were on their feet dancing and singing along to the finale. It was a trip down memory lane that certainly re-lit the fire for plenty of Take That fans in Blackpool.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Tickets cost from £20.75

Greatest Days is at Blackpool Opera House until Saturday August 19th

For more information or to book tickets visit https://store.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk/webshop/webticket/eventlist?production=140 or call the box office on 0844 770 0593