★★★★★

“The magnetic cast shimmers with soul and skill”

I’ll be honest: when ‘50 First Dates: The Musical’ was announced, I feared a carbon copy of the problematic 2004 film, ‘50 First Dates’. But like Henry, I’m glad I stuck around. The stage version is surprisingly fresh, bursting with heart, charm and pain. Forget 50: one date’s all it takes to fall for this musical!

‘Perfect Day’ travel blogger, Henry Roth, has it all – influencer status, an ambitious agent, success with the ladies. The world’s at his feet, even though he’s outrunning his past. During a pitstop in Key Largo, Florida, Henry meets Lucy, the town’s sweetheart. Suddenly he sees a reason to stay. But one perfect day isn’t enough when Lucy forgets everything by morning. Can love overcome memory loss? Or is one day all they’ll get?

With a hilarious book, music and lyrics by David Rossmer and Steve Rosen, ‘50 First Dates: The Musical’ removes and/or softens the film’s more controversial elements, landing in 2025 with depth and compassion. Henry is much less creepy, no longer deceiving though still disappearing; Lucy’s hopes and dreams are central rather than shoehorned in; Lucy has more agency, even though the men still steer the ship; racist portrayals are gone. The intrinsically flawed, overly romanticised medical premise remains, but the whole resonates much more deeply, heightened by the writers’ sensitive portrayal of pain: for all the sunshine and silliness, both script and score are imbued with quiet tragedy. The result is a breathtaking gut-punch of beauty and sorrow – an entire town forever changed by Lucy’s accident.

The score is hauntingly beautiful. Rossmer and Rosen’s music and lyrics, with arrangements by Matthew Jackson and Richard Beadle, are filled with hope and sadness. Such poignancy is woven into harmonic progressions, key changes and chords, it demands a cast recording. And not every song is sad, with the tongue-in-cheek ‘Key Largo’ bringing showgirl swagger, and the rousing ‘Finale’ ending on a high.

Casey Nicholaw’s direction paints in multicolour strokes, capturing the full breadth of emotion with effortless flair. He expertly shapes a relatively large cast into a living, breathing portrait of connection and chemistry. The staging is well balanced despite the unusual footprint. Standing on lobster pots to create different levels is very on brand, though could be more impactful with more elevation.

Fly Davis’ ingenious set design focuses on a spinning central structure, serving as various locations with some surprisingly fast turnarounds (get it?). Wood-panelled wings frame the space, transforming every inch into a canvas for projected imagery. George Reeve’s projection design is stunning and impressively varied, shifting from photo album to tropical beach, to expressionist art and more. It’s elevated by Aideen Malone’s lighting, shifting from realism to dreamscape with precision. Davis’ costumes radiate summer energy and capture each character’s essence, especially Lucy’s dad’s transformation and her brother’s colourful choices. There are also clever costume changes, with one sequence squeezing in five outfits by my count!

The magnetic cast shimmers with soul and skill. Georgina Castle’s Lucy is its beating heart, combining breezy allure with wicked wit and gut-wrenching grief. Her powerful vocals soar through the score – fierce, flawless, and in full control. Josh St. Clair’s Henry starts out broken but blooms into a steadfast supporter, powered by commanding vocals and irresistible charm. Charlie Toland’s Doug starts out brash but finds brotherhood, stealing scenes with killer comic timing. The whole ensemble radiates love and connection, uniting us all in shared struggle and flooding the stage with their glorious voices.

‘50 First Dates: The Musical’ pulses with warmth, soul and aching beauty. A richer, wiser version, you’ll want to see it again and again!

HERE AND NOW

Manchester Opera House

★★★★

“unapologetically itself and dares us to follow suit”

‘Here & Now, the Steps Musical’, is a glittering, high-energy homage to Steps and love in its many fabulous forms. Campy, clever, and hilariously self-aware, it’s post-Brexit Britain’s answer to Mamma Mia! The plot might feel a little ‘Better Best Forgotten’ at times but underneath lies a heartfelt celebration of self-love and acceptance that everyone can ‘Stomp’ to.

This summer, four friends – Caz, Vel, Neeta, and Robbie – decide there’s more to life than working at ‘Better Best Bargains’. Swearing on the ‘pineapple of destiny’, they vow to find love before Caz turns 50. Things get messy quickly and betrayal threatens to turn their ‘One for Sorrow’ into four. Luckily the ‘pineapple of destiny’ – and a little heart – saves the day, reminding them that true love comes from within.

Shaun Kitchener’s book refuses to take itself too seriously, flashing decidedly self-deprecating wit. Set in a gloriously unglamorous supermarket, it mixes heartfelt moments with hilariously absurd scenes – such as lovers flirting over a giant bin. It’s grounded (everyone sacks off work to drink in a park) and fantastical (shoppers tear around the happiest supermarket in the world) and you just want to lean in. However, this jukebox musical’s plot is predictably thin. Act 1 ping-pongs glancingly around some heavy themes. Act 2 has more emotional weight but the characters remain under-developed, especially our lead Caz who bafflingly reconnects with a man who lies about wanting children (!). With a little polish, the story could truly sing.

That said, Rachel Kavanaugh’s direction understands the assignment, appealing to Steps fans and the LGBTQIA+ community while offering something for everyone. Expertly timed scene cut-offs lean into the unserious tone, colour palettes evoke different pride flags, and the frozen (aisle) inspired drag extravaganza is a showstopper. The large ensemble feels busy at points but adds much-needed vitality to the huge stage.

Matt Spencer-Smith’s musical supervision and arrangements and Musical Director Georgia Rawlins’ interpretation blend Steps’ huge pop hits almost seamlessly into this new setting. Though almost every plot point is embellished with a song, which isn’t necessary. Also, closing with ‘Here and Now’ is an interesting choice – it’s one of Steps’ more emotionally mature hits, but is ultimately less well known and less energetic. The final megamix is a great save, but the story deserves a stronger conclusion.

Matt Cole’s choreography strikes a refreshing balance between referencing Steps’ iconic moves and offering something new. The ensemble nails the complex group dances, though the more static principal routines sometimes draw the eye.

Set design (Tom Rogers) centres around a large supermarket façade, with moveable pieces and clever lighting transporting us elsewhere when necessary. I love the constant rearranging of checkout aisles and trolleys, keeping the layout fresh. The lighting design (Howard Hudson) is dynamic, bold and slick. An assortment of bright rainbow colours snap to supermarket fluorescent white, before easing into deeper moments. Costume design (Gabriella Slade) brings the supermarket uniform to life by mixing up the colours and patterns according to the mood. Denim and iron on patches evoke the late 1990s and the drag moment is a stroke of genius. Wigs and hair (Sam Cox) and make up design (Jackie Saundercock) add pops of colour while carefully representing each character.

The cast brings so much passion and heart. Rebecca Lock’s Caz blows us away with her powerhouse vocals and remains endearing despite the relatively thin material. Blake Patrick Anderson’s Robbie and Ben Darcy’s Ben command the stage in their smaller but no less arresting roles, showcasing effortless tenor voices to boot. River Medway gives a stunning performance as Jem, deservedly stopping the show. Rosie Singha gives her shy girl next door, Neeta, some welcome vocal power. Albert Green cuts through the chorus with some fantastically sharp dancing.

‘Here & Now, the Steps Musical’ is unapologetically itself and dares us to follow suit. Though the plot and characters are a little flimsy, the knockout performances, irreverent self-awareness, laugh-out-loud moments and driving score will have you dancing in the (supermarket) aisles!

50 FIRST DATES: THE MUSICAL

The Other Palace

★★★★★

“The magnetic cast shimmers with soul and skill”

50 FIRST DATES: THE MUSICAL

The Other Palace

Reviewed on 24th September 2025

by Hannah Bothelton

Photography by Pamela Raith

Previously reviewed at this venue:

50 FIRST DATES

50 FIRST DATES

50 FIRST DATES

HERE AND NOW

Manchester Opera House

★★★★

“unapologetically itself and dares us to follow suit”

HERE AND NOW

Manchester Opera House then UK Tour continues

Reviewed on 4th September 2025

by Hannah Bothelton

Photography by Pamela Raith

Recently reviewed by Hannah:

HERE AND NOW

HERE AND NOW

HERE AND NOW

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