Get Down Tonight

Charing Cross Theatre

A musical you can SHAKE, SHAKE, SHAKE your booty to. It's uplifting, about friendship and the band... BUT it feels forced into the norms of musicals and comes across as a how-to guide.

A musical all about KC and the Sunshine Band, and includes some of their songs... You are bound to leave the theatre uplifted. The songs are fun and bubbly. The show does have great talent, exhilarating choreography by Lisa Stevens and vibrant costumes, but the whole plot is about the making of the band through trying to find the structure of a musical. It's consistently reminding you that it's a musical and telling you what goes into making the plot of a musical. It almost feels like spoonfeeding information and stepping in and out of the content also puts a wall between you and the characters. However, it's a bit of fun and reminds you of the importance of living in the moment. It is a great mood lifter and fun for everyone. It's not groundbreaking, but it is enjoyable, and if you love a bit of KC and The Sunshine Band, this one is for you.

As Lisa Stevens is director and choreographer, the show is dance-heavy, and it is a musical with all the trimmings. The choreography is strong, and several incredible dance numbers are bound to get you up and grooving. Ensemble members' dance abilities are gorgeous, and their energy knows no bounds. Aaron Archer is a part of the ensemble, and his dance abilities are eye-catching. He stands out and shines as a strong dancer with character. Another character that shines is Annabelle Terry as Gina; her comic timing and adorable character make you chuckle, but you also feel drawn to her quirkiness and naivety. You want to protect her at all costs. Her moments on stage are beautiful, she flicks from fun, weird and emotive, she creates such a lovable personality. Ross Harmon is great casting for Harry; his character arc is clear, he's a strong performer, and you see him grow throughout the piece. You can't fault the casting in the piece at all. They use the material to their best abilities and perform well. The breaking in and out of the story it makes scenes a little static and steals away the fluidity. Could we not have had an intro into the story and no jumping out till the end? Then, the shock at the end would be more emotive for the audience.

Costumes by Tom Roger are based on originals; they are divine in the lighting that is designed by Jai Morjaria. There is a lot of sparkle, silver and heeled boots. It's fitting to the time that it is set and gives the vibes of the era. Of course, it wouldn't be right not to have a huge disco ball, and the set feels like you are in a music video, almost. The set is designed by Bretta Gerecke; it's a disco setting with bright colours, the flashing lights complementing the display. It's intriguing for the record shop, set the costume is fairly neutral, and the records aren't as vibrant, this highlights how Harry feels music is not very colourful or fun and needs change. Something new. It would be more enchanting if there were more atmospheric elements to the scenes where the friends meet up at the bench, to highlight the importance of this meet-up. They bring along lamps, and this feels too obvious that this is a significant moment; having a sunset or stars or even a street light would have been more symbolic and subtle.

It's a lively show, with some great choreography and uses of the well-known songs. However, the story is spoonfed to the audience in a way that feels like a 'how to make a musical' guide. It's trying too hard to be a musical when they should put more emphasis on the stories or relationships. The moments where they address the audience do not feel necessary and do not establish the relationship between the characters and the audience. The story would be stronger if they stayed in the scenes, the audience then gets to go on the journey with the characters and feel the emotions of Harry in the more sombre moments. If you love the band and the songs, this is a great choice, or if you're looking for something easy, fun and uplifting, it's also great. It's just not the next best thing, and the message could be a bit more concise. It is a ray of sunshine, though, and the positive vibes of the show are refreshing.