★★

“glitters with disco sparkle but dig a little deeper and it loses its shine”

KC and the Sunshine Band shaped the sound of the 70s, so it was only a matter of time before their iconic repertoire became a musical. Though like the plot of ‘Get Down Tonight’, this musical needs some help finding its groove.

Disco dancers burst onto the stage as a man in a glittery jumpsuit busts out ‘Keep It Comin’ Love’ on a keyboard. This is ‘Harry’ (KC and the Sunshine Band frontman, Harry Wayne Casey) who welcomes the audience to the story of his life – except he needs a little help making it a musical. Enter Dee and other friends who keep his tale on track despite constant interruptions, charting a life filled with love and revealing a little more about this famously enigmatic man.

Written by J. F. Lawton, the text needs work. The first half is stuffed with narrative devices that don’t advance the plot: Dee’s persistent meta-commentary on structuring a musical stalls character development, reading more like a lesson than witty critique; an ominous voice interrupts without purpose, lacking a big reveal. Key plot points are glossed over, such as Harry’s progress from recording studio stock handler to international star – we segue mid-song which I find particularly confusing. Others feel underdeveloped, such as Orly disappearing before returning in the finale, and Dee hurriedly explaining the tragic reason she won’t attend their 10-year anniversary. It aims to be a tight one-act piece, but the second half needs fleshing out; currently we end on some slightly clumsy exposition followed by a megamix which doesn’t quite rescue things. There are some beautiful moments, such as Harry and Gina’s heart wrenching rendition of ‘When You’re Alone Tonight’, but the overall impression is uneven.

Harry Wayne Casey’s iconic hits still shine, cleverly remixed to serve the story by providing both upbeat and introspective moments. That said, some are loosely woven in, such as Gina’s first song, ‘Give It Up’, and others feel confusing, such as the aforementioned ‘Please Don’t Go/I Never Thought I’d Love Again’ transition to stardom. Though happily, Casey’s score never strays too far from a hit.

Lisa Stevens’ direction and choreography bring out a lot of sparkle, unleashing an energetic cast that channels 60s and 70s soul. The liberal use of dance breathes life into the show, with high-energy choreography stealing the spotlight at times. More could be done with some moments, such as the prominently featured keys on wheels lacking an impactful reappearance; ‘Who Do You Love’ could be even more heightened, though I enjoy Gina pulling the plug.

Bretta Gerecke’s set design layers levels and can conjure locations with a single standout piece. Tom Rogers’ costumes dazzle with flirty flair, mixing hippy chic with disco glitz and even blowing Bob Mackie a kiss. Jai Morjaria’s lighting design is stunning, throwing bursts of dazzling colour in amongst iconic spotlight moments, glowing records and starry night skies. Chris Whybrow’s sound design keeps that funky horn playing but suffers from fuzzy mics and the beat dropping out at one point.

The tight-knit cast tries their hardest to bring some depth to their rather thin characters. The four leads, Ross Harmon (Harry), Adam Taylor (Orly), Annabelle Terry (Gina) and Paige Fenlon (Dee) all have cracking voices, especially Fenlon’s high belt which she sadly doesn’t get to use that often. Taylor’s Orly oozes charisma, causing a palpable spike in energy even if his accent goes off-piste. Terry’s Gina gives us naïve girl next door and heartbroken hopeful. Harmon’s Harry is charming while conveying inner conflict but, like the rest of the characters, could do with more to work with.

‘Get Down Tonight’ glitters with disco sparkle but dig a little deeper and it loses its shine. The music draws you in, but the writing pulls you out. Still, fans will enjoy the hits and a rare peek into Harry Wayne Casey’s inner world.

THE DAUGHTER OF TIME

Charing Cross Theatre

★★★

“The whole thing ambles along like a Wolseley 6/90 – reliable, well-upholstered and stately in its way”

To the surprise of a modern audience, the NHS in 1950 apparently afforded a patient a spacious room, a brace of sassy nurses, use of the good stationery and endless weeks of convalescence – all for a broken leg.

Admittedly, the broken leg is attached to a bona fide hero – Scotland Yard detective Alan Grant (Rob Pomfret) who is bothered, bored and self-pitying, having acquired the injury in a failed chase.

At 50, he is staring down the barrel of an enforced retirement. What he needs is a challenge to prove his worth.

It arrives in the form of a postcard of Richard III. Is he the villain of Shakespeare’s imaginings or is he the most wronged monarch in history? Grant begins gnawing on the 400-year-old mystery, dragging in acolytes and helpers who indulge him for reasons that are never entirely clear.

In the meantime, the audience of M Kilburg Reedy’s adaptation of Josephine Tey’s classic novel has their own set of challenges.

Firstly, the staging. The bed which contains our hero is right at the back of the stage. Pomfret does some great head-and-neck acting but there are obvious audibility and distance problems. This timorous cowering becomes so pronounced that the actors appear to have a Pavlovian aversion to entering the 12-foot buffer zone at the front where most other productions would do their best work.

Secondly, there’s a lot to remember. Such is the extent of the exposition, characters end up reading from textbooks, dropping in long speeches about Plantagenet politics (where others might discuss the weather or the cricket) and pinning pictures on boards that we, the audience, cannot see.

The programme comes with a family tree which – what? – we’re supposed to learn before the curtain rises? Cue chilling flashbacks to history exams with cold sweat trickling down collective spines and key dates written in biro on shirt cuffs.

Thirdly, all this takes time. So much time that if you were to see all the plots and subplots laid out as a menu – including some Shakespearean romantic fandango – you might dispense with the minor dishes and opt for the classic main course/dessert combo and get the thing done. But writer Reedy will insist on you seeing the product of her thinking as she tussles with evident problems of staging a history lecture.

All this is not to say director Jenny Eastop’s production is not ultimately enjoyable. Time eases the last two of these problems. In the second act the questions become more focussed – did Richard III usurp the throne, and did he kill the princes in the tower? – allowing for some graspable curiosity to arise. And the problem of length, while not entirely dissolved, becomes less obdurate because the actors are earnest in their commitment to the production and reside in settings and costumes (Bob Sterrett) which are sumptuous.

Rob Pomfret as Alan Grant is solid; Rachel Pickup injects glamour into lovelorn actress Marta Hallard, inexplicably besotted with the curmudgeonly Grant; Noah Huntley has fun with closeted stage darling Nigel Templeton; and Harrison Sharpe – the Shaggy of this Scooby Doo gang – is lithe limbed and kooky as amateur investigator Brent Carradine.

Elsewhere the ensemble is curiously well-briefed about English culture and history but disguise their learning with a straight-faced charm.

The whole thing ambles along like a Wolseley 6/90 – reliable, well-upholstered and stately in its way. If time is not an issue, be assured, you will arrive at your destination eventually.

GET DOWN TONIGHT

Charing Cross Theatre

★★

“glitters with disco sparkle but dig a little deeper and it loses its shine”

GET DOWN TONIGHT

Charing Cross Theatre

Reviewed on 30th September 2025

by Hannah Bothelton

Photography by Danny Kaan

Previously reviewed at this venue:

GET DOWN TONIGHT

GET DOWN TONIGHT

GET DOWN TONIGHT

THE DAUGHTER OF TIME

Charing Cross Theatre

★★★

“The whole thing ambles along like a Wolseley 6/90 – reliable, well-upholstered and stately in its way”