Review: NOW That's What I Call A Musical UK Tour 2025, Glasgow | Terribly good?
Updated: Mar 19
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Book by Pippa Evans | Directed & Choreographed by Craig Revel Horwood
The King's Theatre, Glasgow | 18 February 2025
production photos: Pamela Raith
NOW musical review | 2025 UK Tour, Glasgow ⭐⭐⭐
Did anyone not have a 'NOW That's What I Call Music' compilation album growing up?! They were ubiquitous. And there were seemingly hundreds of them. To celebrate 40 years of the mega chart-topping brand, a new British musical comedy 'NOW That's What I Call a Musical' takes some of the best-known hits that featured on the albums in the 80s and 90s and creates the mother of all jukebox musicals.
From Blondie, Tears for Fears, Spandau Ballet and many more, over 20 iconic pop songs form the basis around which this new stage musical has been constructed. The plot is flimsy but hilarious. The music and dances are sometimes absurd but undeniably entertaining. There are some excellent performances but more than a few truly dire moments and dodgy accents too. It's a mixed bag. The NOW musical is completely pointless and sometimes cringeworthy... it may be so bad it's good! I had a great time. Set your expectations for a light-hearted pop party and you will too.
What is the NOW musical about?
Set in a dual timeline, NOW That's What I Call a Musical begins in 2009 at a school reunion in a local Birmingham pub. As the DJ spins 80s and 90s hits Gemma (Nina Wadia) hopes that a friend she hasn't seen for years, April (Sam Bailey) will make an appearance. The musical then takes us back to 1989 where the younger Gemma (Nikita Johal) and April (Maia Hawkins) are fretting over boys, careers and their love of pop stars Rick Astley and Sonia. The story jumps back and forth between the two timelines as we meet the other important people in the girls lives and find out if they fulfilled their dreams or not... All to the soundtrack of 80s and 90s cheesy pop.
The book is written by award-winning comedian Pippa Evans and she has created some fabulous characters and genuinely laugh out loud moments. But the show runs too long at 2 hours 40 minutes (including a 20 minute interval.) The plot simply acts as a vehicle for the Sony and Universal music chart hits. The songs have not so much been shoehorned in as are driving the whole narrative. 'Hey Mickey' being a prime example.
Director and choreographer Craig Revel Horwood also has a laugh with this show - the direction is played for fun and even some of the dance moves, which seem outdated and clunky, are used ironically. I hope.
Nina Wadia and Sam Bailey are superb in the lead roles. Sam's voice is out of this world sensational, and both of them have great comic timing and chemistry. Maia Hawkins younger April is the standout in act one; with powerhouse vocals and tonnes of 80s sass, she's phenomenal. But then she does turn in to Sam Bailey, so casting is spot on here.
My favourite character and performance of the show was Chris Grahamson's Tim. He's absolutely awful. A typical 80s obnoxious, materialistic and lecherous yuppie. Grahamason is brilliant! With younger Tim played expertly by Kieran Cooper, complete with mullet and suave dance moves, this is an exquisitely observed character you will love to hate in both timelines. An amazing creation.
As for the music, all of the songs are performed well, but the staging for 'Video Killed the Radio Star' and 'Gold' are blissfully bonkers. I was thrilled at the inclusions of some of my favourites 'St Elmo's Fire', 'Tainted Love' and 'You Spin Me Round' - but there are so many classics, there should be something for everyone to enjoy.
Sonia guest stars in Glasgow
The UK tour of the NOW musicals boasts an array of special guest stars with the likes of Sinitta, Toyah Wilcox and Carol Decker featuring at venues across the UK.
In Glasgow the guest star is Liverpool legend Sonia who comes to life to help one of our protagonists when she needs her most. It's a very similar plot device to that used in the Dolly Parton musical, Here You Come Again. But here's it's not "What would Dolly do?" but "What Would Sonia do?"
The staging for Sonia's solo is hilariously epic. She appears bathed in white light, much like the Teen Angel from Grease, and looks like she's having a ball performing one of her best known hits to a delighted audience.
But a word of caution to anyone considering buying tickets purely to see the guest star: if Sonia's appearance in Glasgow is anything to go by, the guest star has one song only during the main show and then an additional short appearance during the mega-mix curtain call.
Yes there's a mega-mix curtain call at the end of the show! It's guaranteed to have the audience on their feet and takes the pop cheese-level up to eleven. Great fun.
NOW That's What I Call A Musical is not a sophisticated piece of theatre. But it's really not trying to be. For all its faults, I'm sure 'NOW' will be a real crowd-pleaser. I don't expect it to have much longevity, and if you're looking for a refined drama or an expertly crafted jukebox musical like & Juliet, then this is not it. But if what you are after is a lighthearted, nostalgic evening of escapism, NOW That's What I Call A Musical delivers.
🎵 The UK Tour of the NOW musical is at The King's Theatre, Glasgow from 18 - 22 February 2025 and then continues on tour across the UK in 2025
18 - 22 February
The King’s Theatre, Glasgow
25 Feb - 1 March
Edinburgh Playhouse
Find Lisa in the Theatre on Instagram @lisa_inthetheatre
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