Review: I SHOULD BE SO LUCKY - THE MUSICAL, New Wimbledon Theatre - Tour

Photo credit: Marc Brenner

With such an incredible catalogue of catchy and emotional songs, we are surprised there has not been a Kylie musical before. Well now there is! More specifically, a show that features the music of Stock Aitken and Waterman, the soundtrack of a generation weaved into a sensationally silly story that is sure to leave you smiling.

I Should Be So Lucky follows the story of Ella (Lucie-Mae Sumner) is who is set to marry the love of her life Nathan (Billy Roberts) until he jilts her at the altar due to a mysterious family secret. Ella’s family and friends rally around her and they decide to whisk her off to Turkey to the romantic couple’s resort booked for her honeymoon. Love and laughter are at the centre of this beachside romp but all is not as it seems as the cast journey through the trials and tribulations of relationships. However, much like a pantomime, this original British musical ensures that in the end our stars get the love that they deserve.

The show is written and directed by Debbie Isitt, the creator of the Nativity! franchise, who has crafted a fabulously fun story to match the host of 80s and 90s hits. Paired with Tom Rogers’ camp and colourful set and costume design, Jason Gilkison’s energetic choreography allows the talents of the ensemble cast to shine and ensure this show is truly a spectacle for the eyes. This will be invaluable to the production because if you look too closely, you’ll find plot holes and implausibility everywhere. The plot is predictably unpredictable as the chaos builds and in the final thirty minutes, as the story is hastily wrapped up, the words ‘kitchen sink’ come to mind. We’ve never seen a musical that so heavily features a hot air balloon before but in the moment, it almost makes sense. So does ‘guardian angel’ Kylie appearing in a mirror at various points throughout the show to share some words of wisdom with our lead.

The music really is the star of the show and demonstrates why so many of these songs remain hits decades on from their release. There is a plethora of high energy feel good numbers that the Princess of Pop would be proud of. The nightclub scene featuring Mel and Kim's classics ‘Showing Out’ and ‘Respectable’ comes to mind. But the standout moments are the displays of powerhouse vocals, namely Kayla Carter’s rendition of Sonia’s ‘You’ll Never Stop Me Loving You’ and Melissa Jacques’ performance of ‘Tell-Tale Signs’. Of course, we can’t forget our leading lady Lucie-Mae Sumner who delivers an incredibly tender performance as Ella but also gets her moment to shine singing Bananarama’s ‘Venus’.

Productions such as I Should Be So Lucky are perfect for touring as they sprinkle musical magic in cities across the UK. This show may not win any awards for originality but like so many jukebox musicals, it will certainly be a crowd pleaser and bring joy to a theatre near you!

*** Three stars

Reviewed by: Sophie Luck

I Should Be So Lucky - The Musical plays at the New Wimbledon Theatre until 3 February, with tickets for select touring venues available here.