Review - The Band (UK Tour)

25 years after the death of a close friend tears pals Rachel, Claire, Heather and Zoe apart, the reunion tour of their favourite childhood band sees the girls reunited. As they rediscover the friendship that bound them together when they were 16, they start to realise that even though their lives didn't turn out exactly as they planned, nothing can stop them from turning their childhood dreams into reality if they really try. 

The cast of The Band
Photo credit - Matt Crockett
Despite being called The Band, it is protagonist Rachel who is undoubtedly at the heart of the show. After her school friend Debbie's tragic death, Rachel struggles to move on, and although she finds a loving husband and settles down, she is still haunted by the traumas of her past, until she rediscovers the music which got her through a difficult childhood, and finds herself reaching out to her friends on a whim, hoping to rekindle their bygone bond. As Rachel and young Rachel respectively, actors Rachel Lumberg and Faye Christall are a wonderful pair. Christall's energy and comic timing make her a fantastic narrator for the scenes set in 1993, meanwhile Lumberg is a hugely likable presence who lights up the stage, impressively conveying Rachel's inner turmoil as well as her more bubbly exterior. 

The titular band, also known as Five To Five, are a group of 5 singers who were plucked from relative obscurity when they were grouped together and subsequently won the BBC talent show Let It Shine. They bring a sense of cheeky fun to the musical, as they pop up in dream sequences inside Rachel's head, in a variety of bizarre scenarios. With their slick boy band moves and strong vocals, they make a convincing quintet, and it's easy to see why the girls idolise them so much. It's a shame that they don't play a more active part in the story, as it would be nice to get to know more about their individual characters, but they work well as an omnipresent force in Rachel's life.

It's unfortunate that in a musical which focuses so heavily on music, and tries its best to channel the cultural sensation of Take That, the musical numbers are where the musical occasionally falls short of expectations. The lighting and sound design feels underpowered when trying to emulate the concert atmosphere which is integral to much of the show, leaving many of the standout numbers looking and sounding a little lost on stage.  

The cast of The Band
Photo credit - Matt Crockett
At the end of the day, The Band set out primarily to be a jukebox musical for Take That fans, and it more than adequately fulfils that intention. It's full of hits such as Back For Good, Rule The World and, of course, Shine, which have the audience swaying in their seats, and perfectly portrays the sensational nature of the 90s boy band phenomenon. Surprisingly though, despite the never ending barrage of dazzling tunes, it's the musical's poignant themes of regret and unfulfilled potential which permeate the plot and make for a more intricate story than one might expect. Despite a few distasteful jokes, Tim Firth's book is sweet, with a few tear jerking moments, and perfectly captures the dynamic between the 4 friends who the audience can definitely relate to. 

Ideal for Take That fans of any age, The Band is an enjoyable new jukebox musical which, like all the best jukebox musicals, identifies its target audience and gives them what they want. There are songs and laughs, and the story carries a powerful message too. It's probably not going to go down in musical theatre history, but The Band is an entertaining show which will have audiences reflecting back on theirs lives, and looking to the future too.