Let it Be (Tour – Mayflower Theatre, Southampton)

This has certainly been the month for jukebox musicals at the Mayflower Theatre. Last week we were graced with the Marc Bolan musical, 20th Century Boy. Now this week sees the arrival of The Beatles musical, Let It Be.
So how does this hold up as a jukebox musical that tells the story of The Beatles? Poorly really. This is basically a tribute concert. A band of four impersonating The Beatles whilst going through their catalogue of songs for two hours and thirty five minutes.

What story the musical tells jumps between highlights in the Fab Four’s stardom. Included are the Cavern Club, the Royal Variety Performance, A Hard Days Night, and the Shea Stadium, all the way to their final performance on the roof of the Apple Studios. What dialogue there is consists of audience participation and making the occasional quip.

Let It Be fails to show how The Beatles gained fame, how their songs came about or the downward spiral to their break-up. There are attempts to link each sequence with newsreels and audio clips but by the second act they are barely seen.

The visuals are thankfully interesting. The show shows swinging 60s Britain through commercials and other familiar songs from the time. In fact the show comes to a complete stop half way through the first act for a commercial break.

Let It Be attempts to make you feel as though you were actually there. Audience participation is signalled by lighting up the auditorium, and the cast insistently get them to clap along and rise to their feet.

Each sequence is brought to life through projections, animations, strobe lighting and camerawork. The Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Magical Mystery Tour segments are certainly psychedelic.

The show is performed by two alternating casts of five, including a keyboard player. The cast I saw, James Fox (Paul), Reuven Gershon (John), John Brosnan (George) and Ben Cullingworth (Ringo), played the Fab Four brilliantly. They perform songs like 'A Hard Days Night', 'Let it Be', 'Hey Jude', and 'Strawberry Fields Forever' with much energy and enthusiasm. The highlight for me would be Brosnan’s touching performance of George’s solo 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps'.

Seriously though the bar has been raised high by other jukebox musicals like Buddy, 20th Century Boy and recently Sunny Afternoon. Despite some eager performances from the cast this is just a nostalgia concert and nothing more. Fans will enjoy this but otherwise we’ll just have to wait a bit longer for a proper musical about The Beatles.

– David Jobson