š That'll Be The Day - So This Is Christmas
š The Lyric, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Royal Parade, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2TR
š Saturday 23rd November 2024
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FULL-ON FESTIVE FUN
Filled with lashings of festive spirit and topped with a healthy dollop of nostalgia this year's Christmas production from THAT'LL BE THE DAY proves just why the show continues to be popular with audiences 39 years since its creation.
From the full-throttle opening until the fun-filled finale, the energy levels in this production never dip once and as someone who has been following this show for 30 years, I can honestly say that this is the best Christmas Show ever produced by THAT'LL BE THE DAY.
The show has a winning formula of Christmas songs and songs that were hits over Christmas's past and is cleverly presented in small production pieces throughout. Whether that be Juke Box Jury or a Top Of The Pops countdown, everything feels wonderfully authentic and the show is so fast paced that there's definitely no danger of getting bored!
The show is led by creator and director Trevor Payne, who not only sings and performs comedy routines, but also acts as compere. His uncanny performance as Cliff Richard is always a fan favourite and there is a real magical moment during Mistletoe and Wine when the entire auditorium join in to create a wonderful atmosphere. He also does a turn as Mick Jagger - who becomes a stand-up comedian - and sings an updated version of the Chrstmas Alphabet as Albert Steptoe!
Gary Anderson is his comedy sidekick and his timing and impressions are impeccable - there's even an appearance from Donald Trump! It's a treat to listen to his powerful vocals and he gives a high-energy performance of Reet Petite alongside glorious versions of The Bells of St. Mary and Happy Xmas (War is Over).
It is always a joy to watch Nikki Renee Hechavarria perform. She has a great likeability and her infectious smile radiates across the auditorium. Her rendition of Do You Hear What I Hear? is absolutely breathtaking, and alongside fellow vocalist Lotty Anderson, the performance of All I Want For Christmas Is You blew the roof off the theatre. Lotty is the newcomer to the production but her powerful vocals on songs such as Warm This Winter, The Christmas Song and Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree have firmly cemented her as an integral cog.
THAT'LL BE THE DAY is a truly ensemble piece and the talented musicians that make up the band not only play a plethora of instruments, most of them also tackle lead vocals too! Drummer Mark Street embeds himself into the front line for some of the medleys and gives confident performances of songs such as Last Christmas and Sleigh Ride.
Jarrod Loughlin steps forward for a stunning rendition of Driving Home For Christmas, and alongside Trevor lead guitarist Ollie Gray gives a rendition of Little Drummer Boy / Peace on Earth that can only be described as pure velvet. Ollie also leads the band is a gorgeous instrumental version of Silent Night.
SeƔn McAustland on keys has a stunning vocal and is a sublime performer. His version of Fairytale of New York alongside Lotty was the standout moment of the night for me. Eduardo Neto may be the silent member of the company, never coming forward to sing, but that doesn't stop him displaying his versatile talents - switching from percussion to drums and saxophone to guitar with ease.
No review of THAT'LL BE THE DAY would be complete without mentioning the technical quality of the production. The lighting especially was dazzling and elevates the production even higher. The AV's which display at the back of the stage throughout are well put together and compliment the onstage action wonderfully.
THAT'LL BE THE DAY is the perfect winter warmer and even Ebenezer Scrooge wouldn't be able to resist the Christmas spirit after watching this show! Spanning music from the 1950's to the 1990's, the show is hit after hit in a nostalgia-fuelled production.
You'll wish it could be Christmas everyday with SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS from THAT'LL BE THE DAY! Click here to check out all remaining dates for the production and to book tickets. You'll also find details of their upcoming Spring tour which comes to the South West in May, playing in Plymouth on the 4th and Torquay on the 7th.
Neill Kovacic-Clarke
All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one person.
CAST LIST:
Trevor Payne - Vocals / Comedy; Gary Anderson - Vocals / Comedy; Nikki Renne Hechavarria - Vocals; Lotty Anderson - Vocals / Flute; SeƔn McAustland - Keys / Vocals; Jarrod Loughlin - Bass / Vocals / Guitar; Mark Street - Drums / Vocals; Ollie Gray - Lead Guitar / Vocals; Eduardo Neto - Percussion / Drums / Saxophone / Guitar
RUNNING TIME (approx):
2 hours 55 minutes, including interval
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