Review: Tonight's The Night @ Palace Theatre
Katie Fitzpatrick has been won over by this toe-tapping jukebox musical
You would expect a musical featuring the songs of Rod Stewart to be a hit with his devoted fans.But theatregoers of all musical persuasions can expect to be won over by this charmer of a jukebox musical based on the Scottish rocker's rich songbook.
The songs of Stewart are woven perfectly into musical theatre style, and the arrangements for the stage are wonderful.
Rod fans were calling out for their favourite songs, literally dancing in the aisles and enthusiastically swaying along to the finale of We Are Sailing while wearing the paper sailor hat handed to them on arrival.
Toe-tapping old classics Baby Jane and Maggie May and tearjerkers such as I Don't Want To Talk About It are injected with punchy new life by a bright young cast including Sugababes singer Jade Ewen, who is almost unrecognisable in her role as the feisty, smoking, leather jacket wearing Dee Dee.
The ensemble are fantastic but Jade's voice is simply sublime, especially on The First Cut Is The Deepest, given the rapt attention it deserved from the audience.
Written by comedian Ben Elton, who also penned that other jukebox megahit We Will Rock You in tribute to Queen, the story is about a lovestruck young man called Stu who strikes a deal with the devil to trade his soul for Rod Stewart's.
This may sound ridiculous but it's all in the spirit of the jape. And the moral behind the tale is to be true to yourself.
Ben Heathcote is fabulous as the awkward mechanic who becomes a strutting rock and roll rebel in the hope of winning over his sweetheart Mary.
And he sounds uncannily like a young Rod throughout the musical, which in places feels more like a greatest hits concert.
Stacked with a line-up of statuesque dancers that would have the real-life Rod singing Hot Legs in an instant, this is a show that doesn't just wake up Maggie but the entire crowd.
Rod fans were calling out for their favourite songs, literally dancing in the aisles and enthusiastically swaying along to the finale of We Are Sailing while wearing the paper sailor hat handed to them on arrival - a nice touch.
Tonight's the Night is for anyone who enjoys great music and a night of tip-top entertainment.
The only way it could have been improved is by an appearance from hot Rod himself.
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