Now That’s What I Call A Musical – Newcastle Theatre Royal

Book: Pippa Evans

Musical Supervision, Orchestrations and Vocal Arrangements for more than 20 1980s hits: Mark Crossland

Director and Choreographer: Craig Revel Horwood

If the Eighties was your era you will love Now That’s What I Call a Musical for all the visual reminders and great songs. If it wasn’t your era, you will love the show for all the great songs and be entertained by the weird clothes choices and peculiar attitudes on display.

From strippergrams to shell suits and men with mullets (oh hang on, that’s a thing again), NTWICAM, as it will now be referred to in this review, is slickly directed and choreographed by TV’s Strictly Come Dancing villain Craig Revel Horwood.

The cherry on the cake is a huge cameo appearance from 80s pop princess Sonia – more on that later.

Costume designers Tom Rogers and Toots Butchers have gone all out, with the ensemble quickly donning iridescent suits and TV set headpieces for Video Killed the Radio Star, or cheerleader outfits for Hey Mickey! There are many more. They are also responsible for the set, which also changes often and quickly. The video shop – with adult section separated by a string curtain – is a particular highlight.

Set firmly in Birmingham’s Spark Hill, NTWICAM centres on the friendship between schoolgirls Gemma and April, and what happens to them in later life. However, the story does not have a simple chronological arc. Instead, there are two Gemmas and two Aprils, young and old, who observe one another across the stage and across the years, managed very effectively with pinpoint accurate lighting from Ben Cracknell.

There are two equally revolting Tims, Gemma’s narcissistic husband, played by young Kieran Cooper and older Chris Grahamson, who delights in the villainy of his character’s macho man nonsense. His rendition of Spandau Ballet’s Gold, spoken to begin with, is a hilarious hymn to himself, eventually accompanied by the ensemble in gold bodysuits.

The best part of this production is the vocal and acting talent of the central quartet, Gemmas Nina Wadia and Nikita Johal, and Aprils Melissa Jacques and Maia Hawkins. They make believable pairings across the years but the main thing is that these ladies can sing! Jacques raised the Theatre Royal’s roof with her intro to Eurythmics’ Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves which becomes a fabulous duet when former EastEnder Wadia joins in. Each of the four has their own, beautiful, 80s-hit songs, linked – sometimes loosely – to their own emotional moments. And when they all sing together, what a treat.

The show has sadness, celebration and humour but you won’t worry too much about the plot as the main point is pure entertainment. And this is where Sonia comes in, as Gemma appeals to a poster of her childhood idol for advice. Sequinned from head to toe, Sonia’s smile outshines her outfit and, as ever, her powerful voice belies her tiny frame.

This part is taken in other weeks and at other venues by Sinitta, Jay Osmond and Carol Decker, and, whether by accident or not, it was very funny when Wadia addressed Sonia as Sinitta, who took the cameo last week.

The show is accompanied by live music, coming from a concealed orchestra pit, which again sets NTWICAM at a level above many other jukebox musicals and helps it live up to its name, fittingly taken from the long-running series of compilation albums launched in 1983. Enjoy!

Runs until 12 October 2024