THEATRE REVIEWS - Let it Be

YOU’D be forgiven for thinking that from a musical theatre point of view, there was little left to say about the four lads from Liverpool who changed the world.
By Geoffrey Shryhane
Published 5th Mar 2014, 15:23 BST
Let it Be at The Palace TheatreLet it Be at The Palace Theatre
Let it Be at The Palace Theatre

It’s not true. In fact, this latest offering, Let it Be, at Manchester Palace until Saturday is all the better for dropping the Fab Four story, which we all know, and concentrating on those iconic hits which still have a licence to thrill.

The show had packed audiences at the swish Savoy Theatre in London for weeks, and we Beatles fans should rejoice that it’s opened here on our doorsteps.

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Stylish and emotive, this new and wonderfully effective Beatles musical presents 40 of their songs starting with the first hits and gently moving through the memorably emotive eras at just the right pace.

Amazing but true to say that the last Beatles’ concert was almost half a century ago – an informal get-together on the roof on the Apple HQ in London. There were so many hits to follow but never again did the Boys play on stage.

Was Let It Be a show or a concert? Who cares? It didn’t matter as the wonderfully competent musicians – who sang and had a look of the “originals” ... Four Liverpool lads who changed the face of popular music forever.

The show began with a filmic scene at the Cavern just after their first hit had reached No 1. And in two and a half hours, the scenes cleverly changed, as did the outfits and hairstyles of the singers.

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Just before the interval, they were resplendent in the Sgt. Pepper costumes.

It was a full house made up of younger people and us, the oldies who remember the Beatles bursting onto the music scene – and demolishing so many traditional vocalists – in the early 60s.

It was particularly magical for us older fans – with hit following hit, I suspect the years rolled away for many of us and for two hours the real Beatles were alive again. But 10.15pm came and reality

returned. Shame.

The Fab Four were played with verve, fun and tremendous musical ability by Michael Gagliano (John) James Fox (Paul), John Brosnan (George) and Ben Cullingworth (Ringo).

My final verdict of my nostalgic musical evening? Well, I could see it all again tonight and enjoy it just as much.

Related topics:LiverpoolLondon