There’s nothing like going to the theatre on a cold winters evening. It was one of the hallmarks of my childhood — going to see the new production with my Nana when I went down to see her in Kent. The Wales Millenniums Centres new show — I Should Be So Lucky — hits the spot with familiar songs but its plot left me feeling not so lucky.
New musicals can be a hard show to stick the landing with as new songs really have to blow an audiences socks off to leave a lasting impression. That’s where I Should Be So Lucky has taken the right path by using songs were all familiar with to make it an instantly engaging show. Kylie Minogue helped create this musical and appears in it (albeit as a vision in a mirror). The addition of her music is great and immediately you want to sing along with the cast - as many in the audience did. All the singing and dancing was excellent — stellar performances all round from the cast. Each character got their moment in the spotlight to show off some very impressive vocal ranges. It was a feast for the eyes with great set design anda brilliant ensemble.
The plot, however, was not as polished as the performances. Confusing motives and bizarre character choices made it hard to understand why this was all happening in the first place. The events of the whole musical hinged around the groom’s decision to trust the word of his Grandad, who had dementia. Personally, I couldn't get this thought out of my mind — my Grandad had dementia and I wouldn't have hinged a massive, relationship destroying, decision over one conversation with him about a “family secret’. I’ll spare you anymore detail about the plot, Ill let you discover them for yourself. Subconsciously, the story as a whole lead me to draw parallels to Mama Mia. Turkey instead of Greece, a romantic decision to make, all with music from a familiar tour de force. Despite all that, Id still say “thank you to the music” because even with the plot shortcomings, this musical is very entertaining. As a student, we are not the demographic this musical is aimed at but if you're looking for something to take your parents or grandparents to — they will love it.