The wedding is off, but the honeymoon is on as the Stock, Aitkin and Waterman musical I Should Be So Lucky comes to the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham.
After Ella (Lucie-Mae Sumner) is left at the alter by fiancé Nathan (Billy Roberts), she decides to still go on her honeymoon to Turkey, accompanied by her family and friends. With guidance from video projections of THE Kylie Minogue in a large mirror, her broken heart starts to heal when she meets the handsome waiter Nadeem (Matthew Croke). Nathan realises his mistake and follows Ella to Turkey to win her back, but will she give him a second chance?
Stock, Aitken and Waterman are considered to be one of the most successful songwriting and producing partnerships of all time, with more than 100 UK top-40 hits, over 150 millions records sold, and have worked with some of the biggest selling artists in history.
When the announcement was made that a Stock, Aitkin and Waterman musical was in production, I was beside myself with excitement. Their music was the soundtrack to my youth and represents my earliest and favourite musical memories – Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan’s debut albums were the first I ever received on vinyl, I waited in line for over two hours at a music store in Blackpool to get an autographed single from Sonia, I had a poster of Big Fun on my wall… Even now, at 42 years old, I still remember every word from every song of that era.
Let’s just say I’m a fan. A huge fan.
Set on a stage of heart-shaped pink and glittery backdrops, the pull of I Should Be So Lucky is undoubtedly the music, made up of over thirty hits which includes Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up, Dead or Alive’s You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) and Kylie’s I Should Be So Lucky. These are performed brilliantly by an outstanding cast of performers who bring an incredible level of energy and enthusiasm to everything that they do. In fact, there isn’t a single cast member (including within the ensemble) that is lacking vocally, and full ensemble numbers are an absolute joy to watch.
Additionally, the show is absolutely hilarious, with endless laugh-out-loud moments, one liners and physical comedy from many of the cast – most notably from Nathan’s best friend Ash (the FANTASTIC Giovanni Spano), camp resort manager Spencer (Jamie Chapman), and Ella’s friend Michael (Scott Paige).
However, like many jukebox musicals that have appeared over the last few years, I Should Be So Lucky relies on nostalgia and great music rather than an in-depth plot. There is perhaps a vague attempt to convey more serious themes, but these are very quickly glossed over and have no impact on the main (already paper-thin) storyline whatsoever. Much of the music felt rather squeezed in for no real purpose – often introduced by a random few lines of dialogue – and did little to add to anything or move it along. There were also a few issues when it came to timing, with the band taking the tempo of some of the songs faster than the performers on occasion – leaving the impression that the performers needed to rush to keep up.
There also seems to be a few technical issues that need to be resolved in terms of the production itself – the show had been cancelled the night before due to a technical problem, and was very quickly stopped after the interval at this particular performance for ten minutes.
But is it worth a watch?
If you’re in the mood for a fun and lighthearted evening and aren’t concerned about plot or character development, then this is the show for you. As a Stock, Aitken and Waterman fan, I LOVED IT, and judging from the cheering and applauding from an almost sold-out audience that were on their feet and dancing by the end, I wasn’t the only one.
I Should Be So Lucky is two hours of cheesy, ridiculous and GLORIOUS hilarity, set to some of the best songs ever made. This show is my childhood, covered in pink and glittery hearts with lots of confetti, and one of my favourite shows this year.
Suzie Speaks 
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