Review: The National Lottery’s BIG NIGHT OF MUSICALS, BBC One
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After the turbulence of the last two years for the theatre industry, it’s a delight to see the epic celebration of musical theatre that is Big Night of Musicals, shown on BBC One last night. Featuring performances from fifteen of the best musicals currently showing in the West End and touring the UK, the night is not just “big” but also beautiful, emotional and uplifting.
Filmed in front of a 13,000-strong live audience at Manchester’s AO Arena earlier this week, the show was produced by the National Lottery as a thank you to lottery players who have helped to support the arts during the pandemic. It showcases a variety of musicals, from classics like The Lion King to new productions like The Drifters Girl, and there’s a huge breadth of musical styles, from the poppy tunes of & Juliet to the rock songs of Bat Out Of Hell and the reggae beats of Get Up Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical. There is something for everyone to enjoy here!
The arena is beautifully lit, with a digital backdrop used to full effect, portraying everything from an ice palace to the sun rising on an African savannah. An on-stage orchestra, expertly conducted by Jon Ranger, and an ensemble of talented singers accompany the casts.
The show is hosted by Jason Manford, who brings his warmth, humour, and genuine love of musicals to the proceedings; not to mention an impressively sparkly jacket! Manford kicks things off by performing a medley of songs from Chicago and Annie Get Your Gun, including some amusingly adjusted lyrics. Throughout the night, he leads us smoothly through the performances, introducing the different casts with enthusiasm.
The Dreamgirls cast is the first to wow us, with a medley which aptly includes ‘One Night Only’. Nicole Raquel Dennis is particularly stunning, with her powerful voice filling the arena from the first note. The cast of Back To The Future follows, with Cedric Neal performing the catchy song ‘Gotta Start Somewhere’. The ensemble shines with the energetic choreography, and the 50s-style costumes look fantastic.
One of the highlights of the evening is the Disney medley, featuring the casts of Frozen, The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast. Samantha Barks and Stephanie McKeon begin with the sisterly love song ‘I Can’t Lose You’, and their voices will give you chills. Thenjiwe Nofamele and Kayi Ushe are magnetic in a performance of ‘He Lives In You’, and it’s a treat to see Rafiki and Simba’s detailed costumes up close. Courtney Stapleton and Shaq Taylor give a lovely rendition of ‘Beauty and the Beast’, and the three casts team up for ‘Let It Go’, which is nothing short of magical, earning a standing ovation from the audience.
Also getting the audience up on their feet is the cast of The Wiz, performing fresh from their run in the 100-seat Hope Mill Theatre but managing to command this much larger venue with a joyful performance of ‘Ease On Down The Road’. Equally upbeat is the fun ‘Teacher’s Pet’ from School of Rock, featuring Jake Sharp and a cast of talented kids, and the infectious medley from the cast of The Drifters Girl, featuring soul queen Beverley Knight. We also get a first look at Keala Settle in her new role in & Juliet, as she and David Bedella perform ‘Teenage Dream/Break Free’. Settle will be joining the cast from 29 March, and it looks like she’ll be a great addition!
It’s particularly great to see the level of representation throughout the night, with the number of all-Black or diverse casts involved. The Wiz producer Ameena Hamid talks with Manford about the importance of “bringing Black joy” to the stage, and that’s definitely on show here.
As well as the upbeat numbers, there are some tear-jerking ballads. Waitress’ Chelsea Halfpenny gives a still, composed and heart-wrenching rendition of ‘She Used to Be Mine’, and Dear Evan Hansen’s Sam Tutty, Mitchell Zhangazha and Samantha Mbolekwa beautifully portray the emotion of ‘You Will Be Found’.
In between performances, we are treated to some short segments. We see how lottery funds have helped organisations such as Ramps on the Moon, Beth Hinton-Lever describes her experiences in A Chorus Line and Carrie Hope Fletcher takes us backstage at Cinderella. If you’ve ever wondered how many hundreds of crystals are on Cinderella’s slippers or how the quick change scenes come to be, your questions will be answered!
The show ends with a high-powered medley of songs from Tina - The Tina Turner Musical, with Aisha Jawando combining a fast-paced dance routine with stunning vocals.
This is a night that showcases the pure joy of musical theatre. It’s wonderful to see people gathering again to enjoy live entertainment, with the shots of the audience showing both young and old transfixed by the magic of the performances, as well as people joining hands and dancing along to the songs. No doubt many of us were dancing along at home too!
A highly-recommended programme, Besties!
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: Laura Lott
Big Night of Musicals is available to watch on BBC iPlayer for a year here. An audio broadcast will be available on BBC Sounds for 30 days.
To buy tickets for many of the shows featured on the program, please click here.