GIVE ME SOME OF THAT OLD TIME ROCK’N’ROLL

By Trisha Cusack ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Press Invite

1986 was a big year for pop culture. Top Gun dominated cinemas, Andrew Lloyd Webber debuted Phantom of the Opera, and Pixar animation studio was founded. Among these big moments was the launch of That’ll Be The Day (TBTD), one of the UK’s leading Rock’N’Roll shows. Celebrating its 40th anniversary show at the London Palladium, it solidified itself as a cult favourite for a reason.

The premise of the show is simple; over the course of three hours (plus interval), the audience is taken back in time to celebrate and boogie to some of the biggest hits of the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. From The Four Seasons to The Beatles to Blondie, we are treated to top-class musical performances by a wonderfully talented ensemble cast. Throw in retro videos playing on screen and some funny, if sometimes outdated, comedy sketches, and you have everything you need for a good throwback night out.

So what makes TBTD so special that it has toured every year across the country for the past four decades? I would have to say the pure talent of the cast. From the opening beats, the performers, many of whom were both musicians and singers, gave it their all. Embodying the artists they were performing as, this show is miles above the typical tribute act at your local on a Saturday night. One singer that I must give a particular shout out to is Nikki Renee Hechavarria, whose vocals were just superb.

Another key to the show’s success is the charisma of TBTD founder, Trevor Payne, and his long-standing cast member, Gary Anderson. Together, they make quite the double act and the chemistry between them puts the audience at ease throughout. Payne, who made his farewell performance on the famous Palladium stage, led the show with a charm that only accompanies seasoned professionals. From reminiscing of the early days of the show to still having strong enough vocals to pull off Mick Jagger, it’s clear that Payne’s passion and love for this show helped to ensure its decades’ long success.

As it was the anniversary show, there were some special moments that gave it that extra sparkle. There was a guest performance from Britain’s Got Talent finalist, Tom Ball, plus some videos sent in by industry legends including Sir Cliff Richard. The most heartwarming moment undoubtedly was the performance of TBTD’s charity single, ‘Make a Wish Come True’, recorded in aid of Make-A-Wish foundation. To learn that TBTD raised over £550,000 for the charity was incredibly impressive and hammered home the positive impact this show has had over the years.

While it was a tremendously fun evening, the only thing that let it down slightly was the length. It was difficult to maintain high energy and enthusiasm for over three hours, and I could feel myself and other audience members waning towards the end of the second half. Fair play to the performers who do this multiple nights a week!

Overall, this is a nostalgic, sometimes cringey (compliment), musical extravaganza that showcases extremely talented musicians and singers. If you can handle the long run time, this is well worth going to for some good clean fun.

That’ll Be The Day was performed at London Palladium on 3 February, before continuing on their UK tour.

WEBSITE

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Photo Credit: Jessie Hawkes