Book: John O’Farrell
Director: Luke Sheppard
13 July 1985; the day the world changed. For a bit, anyway. At least more than just one day. Live Aid, organised by Bob Geldof, demonstrated that the ordinary person did have the power to stand up to world leaders who didn’t have their best interests at heart. The Old Vic’s musical about the event has similar aspirations. Despite its 80s setting, Just For One Day is a rock-fuelled clarion call for hope.
Thankfully, John Farrell’s musical isn’t a simple staging of the Saturday afternoon in Wembley. Although it includes all the best songs played that day, including The Cars’ Drive, Queen’s We Will Rock You and Ultravox’s Vienna, the music has been arranged, under the imaginative hand of Matthew Brind, to sound current. Just For One Day is a long way from an indulgent 80s Rewind Festival or karaoke party. The songs are fresh and exciting.
For those not old enough to remember the decade of Thatcher and the Miners’ Strike, present-day Jemma (Naomi Katiyo) acts as a guide taking the audience from Michael Buerk’s landmark BBC broadcast of a ‘biblical famine’ in Ethiopia to Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas? to the two concerts, one in London and the other in Philadelphia. She is helped on her odyssey by Geldof (a wonderfully sweary Craige Els) and by fictional character Suzanne (a brilliant Jackie Clune).
On paper, this device to help the audience understand the build-up to the day may sound clunky, but on stage, the strategy is smooth and sensible. It also gives Jemma the opportunity to question some of the more dubious aspects of the concert such as the fact that most of the acts were white men, implying that Live Aid falls into the ‘white saviour’ category. She also asks Geldof and Midge Ure about their line from the Band Aid single. Did they really think the words “Thank God it’s them, instead of you” were okay? Many of us still remember belting out that lyric at Christmas bashes without really pondering how distasteful the message was.
To compensate for all the white men on stage in 1985, The Old Vic has gathered an incredibly talented cast of queer and diverse actors and singers who bring an exuberant energy to the music and the story. Ebony Molina’s choreography is invigorating and everyone’s voice is stunning, especially Freddie Love who absolutely smashes their version of Bohemian Rhapsody and James Hameed who brings a fragile power to each song he sings. Ashley Campbell as the beleaguered technician also brings down the house.
Just For One Day is often very funny too with Craige Els as Geldof and Julie Atherton as Thatcher duetting together on a hilariously cheeky I’m Still Standing which almost paints the Iron Lady as someone with a heart. Also bringing some laughs is Clune’s younger self, played by Hope Kenna, who is involved in a romance as the concert unfolds. On Soutra Gilmour’s simple set of microphones and spotlights the cast works hard with supreme results.
Inevitably, a few times the musical becomes a little preachy, but Just For One Day is overflowing with hope as a rendition of The Who’s My Generation proves, contradicting the idea that young people are despondent when it comes to politics. A modern-day Live Aid and the sense of community it would undoubtedly bring could change the world again.
Of course, famine is not over as a lone woman reminds us, handing out leaflets outside the main entrance to the Old Vic. In Ethiopia again people are starving to death and in other places too like Gaza. It’s all well in The Old Vic, however, and for sure, Just For One Day is a little too self-congratulatory. But the musical is also an electric beacon of hope that reverberates long into the night. We could all be heroes.
Runs until 30 March 2024
