Here & Now – The Alexandra, Birmingham

Book: Shaun Kitchener

Director: Rachel Kavanaugh

Steps are one of the UK’s most well-known and beloved pop groups. Their storied history and unmistakable discography make them an iconic aspect of the UK’s music culture. The new musical Here & Now, featuring Steps’ hit music, is sure to cement them in pop music culture for many years to come.

Instead of curtain up, picture a shop’s automatic doors whooshing open to reveal an ensemble of top-notch performers gloriously clad in bright pink and blue. Caz (Rebecca Lock), rushes outside to check her phone, tailed by her work (and life) best friend, Vel (Sharlene Hector). Just as Caz reads the email to find out she and her husband have been approved to adopt, the fierce and fearsome manager of Better Best Bargains, Patricia, appears and orders them to get back to work.

Over the next two and a half hours, Caz encourages her work family to go out and seek the love they deserve, gets caught up in a corporate scandal of epic proportion, and finds fulfilment herself – all while belting out some of Steps’ most beloved hits from over the years. Antics and impulsivity are ramped up to 110% in this high-energy party of a musical. By the finale, it is almost impossible not to get up on your feet and join in the fun.

Although the story has highs and lows, the intensity never dips. There are a few tense moments, but mostly shocking twists – the drama unfolds a bit like EastEnders, inciting gasps from the audience on multiple occasions. And even through the tense moments, it’s easy to tell that this musical will wrap up happily in the end. Excitingly, this show very openly and rationally shows the burgeoning love of two gay couples, focusing entirely on the ups and downs of navigating new relationships (as opposed to a tale of questioning one’s sexuality; honourable mention goes to Helen Colby for her outrageously loveable portrayal of Tracey). There’s a quiet pride to this story which also appears in Caz’s empowered ending, despite the few twists and turns she takes to get there.

At any moment throughout Here & Now, every detail is finely manicured, each dance move perfected, and each harmony finely tuned. All elements of this show work together to tell a fun story and do justice to the incredibly fun music of Steps. From the transitions between scenes to the colourfully clever costume and set design to the performances of the entire company, this show has been perfected. On top of that, it’s a great fit for all audiences: younger people may find themselves invigorated by choreography that hits beats like the popular TikTok dances, original Steps fans will feel right at home in the musical aisles of Better Best Bargains, and those who may be new to the Steps’ musical canon are likely to find themselves a true fan by the end of the night.

Even more exciting than the glitz and glam of the music is the fact that this show is premiering in Birmingham – so local audiences have a chance to get in to see Here & Now here and now, before the rest of the world gets to experience it. For a joyous club night-turned-musical with shocking twists, touching moments, impeccable choreography, and undeniably fantastic music brought together by a crew, band, and cast at the top of their game, don’t miss Here & Now.

Runs until 30 November 2024 and on tour