Take That musical proves big success (From Gazette Series)

Take That musical proves big success

1:31pm Thursday 25th June 2009 in

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Review: Never Forget Bristol Hippodrome YOU would think there are enough stage musical featuring the music of some star or another.

Whether it’s Queen or Rod Stewart, Abba or Michael Jackson, we have been there and got the T-Shirt.

Some tell the stories of the stars who wrote the music and others choose a storyline all of their own.

But none of these hit-packed shows have ever centred around a boy band. And not just any boy band, Take That were the hearth throbs of the nineties and have since become the most successful comeback artists of all time.

Never Forget charts the music of Gary, Mark, Howard, Jason and of course, Robbie, but it does so in an unexpected fashion.

Not simply a compilation of Take That’s most memorable songs, this spectacular show tells the story of five lads from the North West who enter a talent show as a Take That tribute band.

Ladies man Jake (Adam Booth) takes up the role of Robbie, geeky banker Adrian (Tom Bradley) transforms into Mark, male stripper Dirty Harry (Keith Gilmore) eventually learns the moves of Howard and Spaniard Jose Reize (Scott Garnham) gives Jason Orange a whole new look. Ash (Mark Wiltshire) is singing sensation Gary.

The five all have their own reasons to win the £10,000 competition prize but they face challenging times in the music business, as ruthless producer Annie Borrowman (Kay Murhpy) steals their frontman leaving a foursome in disarray.

Sounds familiar, but with input from manager Ron Freeman (Teddy Kempner) the group is transformed from hapless desperados into a boy band worthy of singing the classics Babe, Never Forget and Relight My Fire.

Hilarious moments, with Jose’s Spanish wisdom, a mischievous microphone and some very questionable dance moves, will have you crying with laughter and of course the songs of Gary Barlow will leave you standing on your seats begging for more.

This show was good timing for Bristol as thousands of fans saw the real Take That on tour in Cardiff the week before but even without the band’s reformation, Never Forget is good enough to go it alone.