HERE AND NOW: THE STEPS MUSICAL | UK TOUR @ EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE
★★★★★
“Uplifting, camp and inclusive storytelling..”
When Here & Now played Glasgow last September near the start of its UK tour, it barely scraped a three star review. Yet even then it offered glimpses of its potential. What a difference the passage of five months and three cast changes make. Still fuelled by the hits of Nineties’ pop sensations Steps, but now with powerhouse vocals, a tight line in comedy and all-round engaging performances, this tale of love and friendship may well be fabulously camp fun, but is also so much more.
Set in aisles 5,6,7 and 8 of Better Best Bargains, a seafront supermarket, Here & Now: The Steps Musical is the story of shop floor pals Caz, Val, Ben, Neeta and Robbie. As she approaches 50, and with her long-held dream of adopting suddenly a reality, Caz embarks on a plan to help her friends to find love and happiness too… only for her world to crumble when she least expects it. And that’s not all, with Better Best Bargains now threatened with closure, the chance of everyone finding their happy ending is looking less likely all the time. The result is an uplifting, high-energy roller coaster of a show that empowers as it entertains without ever taking itself too seriously.
The turnaround in fortunes for the production is in no small way down to the arrival of Lara Denning to the role of Caz. She leads the company with a rich, heartfelt performance full of warmth and truth. Denning also boast the most incredible vocals and lives every song.
Of those songs, Stomp provides an explosive start to proceedings, while After The Love Has Gone, Last Thing on My Mind, a bangin’ hoedown take on 5,6,7,8… and a deeply emotional rendition of Heartbeat from Denning, prove the highlights of the first act.
If Act 1 concludes with a rousing medley that leaves the audience roaring for more, it’s Steps’ cover of The Bee Gees’ Tragedy at the top of Act 2 that has many of them showing off the song’s iconic dance moves, albeit in hand-jive fashion from their seats. With the biggest hits kept for the second act, One For Sorrow and Better The Devil You Know are well received, as is drag queen River Medway’s show-stealing delivery of Chain Reaction.
All are brought to life by musical director Georgia Rawlings and a cracking six-piece band who, along with the cast, do Matt Spencer-Smith’s clever arrangements the justice they deserve. Rawlings also elicits glorious harmonies from the company, while choreographer Matt Cole loves a prop, which finds the chorus performing well-drilled routines with everything from fans to inflatables, shopping trolleys to umbrellas, and suitcases to washing machines for company. It’s all lively, spirited stuff that builds on lyrical story-telling of the songs.
On stage there’s not a weak link, Blake Patrick Anderson is a charismatic Robbie, perfectly matched with Medway’s Jem. Rosie Singha and Ben Darcy share a coy chemistry as Neeta and Ben and Corrie favourite, Sally Ann Matthews, brings a deft comic touch to store manager Patricia, an unlikeable character she makes loveable, while Jacqui Dubois is wonderful as Vel and demonstrates phenomenal vocals. They receive strong support from Lauren Wolf, Chris Grahamson, Edward Baker-Duly and John Stacey.
While Shaun Kitchener’s book may be written like a soap with a touch of panto thrown in, a powerful message of inclusion is ever-present and amplified by director Rachel Kavanaugh, who ensures this fast-paced romp never loses sight of its core tenet – everyone is worthy of love.
Great ‘Must See’ fun then, although it will obviously help if you’re a fan of Steps in the first place.
Full tour and ticket details HERE
