Review of I Should Be So Lucky at Milton Keynes Theatre

Even after so many years of attending theatre shows, it never ceases to amaze me how utterly varied the medium can be. Just this year on the Milton Keynes Theatre stage I have seen a ballet version of the quirky Edward Scissorhands, a truly absorbing stage version of classic thriller 12 Angry Men, and then, this week, a cheese overload in the form of I Should Be So Lucky - The Musical, and guess what, they were all totally brilliant.

I Should Be So Lucky is, an extremely loosely plotted story, based around the musical productions of Stoke Aitken Waterman and while it is not high-brow theatre, it is pure joy from beginning to end. The story, such as it is, sees Ella jilted at the altar by Nathan, and her decision to go out on her honeymoon anyway with her friends and family, all passport-ready and in tow. Nathan however, quickly has second thoughts, as his reasoning is questioned following a chat with his dementia-addled granddad. And off we go on a world of bold colours, adventures, crazy characters, and of course, a brilliant collection of retro music.

What is first obvious about the cast of I Should Be So Lucky is the unshowy nature of the casting, here we have a full ensemble of ultra-talented stage performers without the need to cast "a name" to bring the audience in. Well, except for the occasional presence of fairy godmother Kylie Minogue in pre-recorded sequences, all of which, it has to be said are excellently done and incorporated, both technically and timing.

However, the live cast is where it is at, and leading this is the least bold character of English Rose Ella, played with delightful charm by Lucie-Mae Sumner. It is true that at every turn the character of Ella is cast by the shadow of a bigger personality in this story, but upon her, the show leans and moves forward, and Sumner is excellent within the chaos that occurs around her.

From there, it is extremely difficult to mention all of the large cast in this production individually, however, they all bring something fabulous to proceedings. Among the picks is Giovanni Spano as best man Ash, a sprightly energy-filled performance full of extremely quirky moments and a master of comic physicality. Jemma Churchill is a fruity Ivy, pining for her youth and with an eye for a bit of a young gentleman. Tegan Bannister, on as cover as Bonnie, brings a nice level of emotion to the character as her own individual love emerges within the story and her solo number is gorgeous and a nice calm musical moment within the show.

The brilliant, loud proud, and utterly camp Michael is played with a huge personality by Scott Paige, stealing many of the scenes he appears within and a delightful storyline leading to one of the best musical moments. Finally, of mention from the cast is the true scene stealer, Jamie Chapman, who, briefly appears as two excellent side characters initially, and then simply takes over many a scene as hotel manager Spencer. The epitome of staying in character throughout and making the very best of every piece of material given to him. Tremendous entertainment.

As is expected of the show, the bank catalogue of Stock Aitken Waterman is totally ransacked, and while a few songs are a little ramrodded into position to make the show, the bulk of the numbers do fit very comfortably within the moment of the show in which they appear. The best of them include Respectable, You Spin Me Round (Like A Record), and with a perfect twist on the song and huge fun, Toy Boy. All of the songs are excellently performed by both the cast and the band.

The set by Tom Rogers is as bright and camp as the show, and relies greatly on the heart motif throughout, including the home of Ella and her family at 19 Heart House. Choreographer Jason Gilkison, who has worked as creative director on Strictly Come Dancing for over ten years, fills the stage with movement and keeps the ensemble busy with his inventive work, and this alongside fast-paced direction by Debbie Isitt, who has also written the show, means there is never a dull moment on stage.

I Should Be So Lucky - The Musical is pure fluff, in equal measure as good or bad as you might expect. However, it is, actually, pure entertainment from beginning to end, bringing fun, joy, and, if you like the producer's work, and why wouldn't you, glorious music as well. You should be so lucky to get a ticket soon.

With a cheese overload, I Should Be So Lucky -The Musical provides absolutely endless fun.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Performance reviewed: Tuesday 5th March 2024 at the Milton Keynes Theatre.

I Should Be So Lucky - The Musical runs at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday 9th March 2024.

For further details about Milton Keynes see their website at http://www.atgtickets.com/venues/milton-keynes-theatre/

Production photos: Marc Brenner

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