Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Brimming with pop nostalgia and feel-good holiday vibes, I Should Be So Lucky is a wonderful whirlwind of theatrical escapism; a joyous musical crafted and performed with love. With light-hearted themes of family, love and laughter and a super talented, refreshingly diverse cast – this is heart-lifting entertainment for everyone.
With a super talented, refreshingly diverse cast – this is heart-lifting entertainment for everyone.
Starring the soundtrack of a generation, the whole show is built around the music of Stock Aitken Waterman – the music meisters behind the pop hits of the 80s and 90s by artists like Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Rick Astley and Bananarama. It does help if you’re a fan of the Hit Factory repertoire – you’ll be able to sing and sway along to their biggest hits as well as rediscover some forgotten gems.
Brimming with pop nostalgia and feel-good holiday vibes.
Giant hearts frame the stage, as the show launches into the wonderfully ridiculous though amusing tale of Ella and Nathan as they prepare to wed. But with wedding jitters getting the best of Nathan, he ends up jilting Ella at the altar. With the honeymoon to Turkey already booked and paid for by Nathan, Ella’s family rally around her and end up jetting off together to make the most of the sun-kissed adventure.
Cue an outlandish and incredibly camp storyline of couplings, breakups and dalliances. Written and directed by Debbie Isitt with choreography by Strictly Come Dancing’s Jason Gilkison, the show features a superb ensemble of singers and dancers. There’s even a cameo from Kylie, who appears as a kind of Fairy Godmother figure in Ella’s mirror, reminding her to be “strong”, “beautiful” and “fabulous”.
Packed with laugh-out-loud one-liners and the perfect pop megamix.
Packed with laugh-out-loud one-liners and the perfect pop megamix, it’s all very cheesy; this isn’t high-art, and doesn’t profess to be. If you suspend your disbelief, I Should Be So Lucky offers an uplifting, fun and frenetic night at the theatre.
– Kristy Stott
I Should Be So Lucky runs at Manchester Opera House until Saturday 25 November before a UK tour in 2024. For full UK tour details, please click here.