Review: Here and Now Steps Musical earns four stars – certainly no 'Tragedy!'
There is nothing quite like a jukebox musical to lift the spirits, and this week at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre Shaun Kitchener’s pop sensation musical “Here and Now”, which is peppered with songs from the hit pop group Steps, is just the ticket, writes Alison Norton.
Fans are flocking to the city centre venue for an evening of pure pleasure and I promise they will not be disappointed.
There are a few negatives, but bear with me. The storyline is weak unfortunately, depicting the lives and loves of a group of supermarket workers as they strive to achieve their dreams, and although there is no reference to the actual members of the pop group itself, the characters are funny and highly relatable. So does it really matter if the plot is a little thin on the ground? No of course not, this musical is all about comedy, fun and of course the music.
Yes, the script is totally cheesy although not predictable, as there are quite a few twists and turns, some of which I struggled to understand the point of actually, but then it is no worse than any other jukebox musical. It’s not Shakespeare, so don’t come if you expect anything more!
On the plus side, the casting of the show is superb and actually it is all about the ladies.
I have seen Lara Denning who takes the leading role of Caz, in a couple of other musicals and she always delivers an excellent vocal performance. Lara has the ability to sing both musical theatre and pop songs, which are extremely contrasting styles, and in “Here and Now” she has the opportunity to really show off her voice. Not only that, but she has dramatic strength, yet also a vulnerability which the character demands and she executes the role to perfection.
The unforgettable Steps hit ”One for Sorrow” had been rearranged as a ballad for the show and Lara’s rendition was a huge highlight, together with “Heartbeat.”
