REVIEW
✭✭☆☆☆ 2/5
Here & Now – The Steps Musical
Tue 7 – Sat 11 October
Cliffs Pavilion, Southend
✭✭☆☆☆ 2/5
Here & Now – The Steps Musical
Tue 7 – Sat 11 October
Cliffs Pavilion, Southend
Where do we start with this one? A jukebox musical based on the songs of Steps is certainly a concept that leads towards a niche audience without even knowing what the storyline is. I think it’s fair to say that when you think of Steps’ songs, there’s a strong element of high energy pop and dance numbers which immediately springs to mind and it’s safe to say that this musical is loaded with them. Unfortunately they run alongside a pretty unremarkable storyline with the songs being awkwardly segued into the narrative attempting to make it have any sense. With all this taken into consideration, Hear & Now really is up there with the cheesiest of cheesy jukebox musicals. And, hands down, if that was their aim, then the award has been won.
Set in a supermarket, Better Best Bargains, we are introduced to Caz who is awaiting news of whether her and her partner have been accepted to adopt a child. Her supermarket bestie of 25 years, Vel, has to read out the email to her as she is too nervous to read it herself, and when the news is good, her colleagues, Neeta and Robbie are equally as excited as she is. All this just before Caz’s 50th birthday (are you allowed to adopt at that age?) Anyway, it turns out that Caz is the most popular person at Better Best Bargains - everyone adores her as she is the mother hen of the workplace, offering out advice and comfort for all. So, when Vel clearly needs to break away from her miserable relationship, and Neeta fancies Ben but is too shy to approach him and then Robbie wants to find love with a suitable fella, it’s down to Caz to steer them in the right direction and declare a ‘Summer of Love’ pact where they all have to sort themselves out.
Of course, Shaun Kitchener, who wrote the book wasn’t going to let it lie there and we have a whole plethora of twists and turns as the supermarket workers attempt to find love and deal with dodgy dealings within the confines of this supermarket setting. Unfortunately, this is where this musical is let down, with a script that is just about plausible, yet failing miserably with dialogue that really doesn’t flow or feel real.
I don’t know if the sound was pumped up on Southend’s opening night at the Cliffs Pavilion, but every line felt like it was being overly projected and on top of those super Steps songs that often need the power of chest vocals, this was quite an assault on the ears at times. The narrative felt like every conversation had to end with a punch line, which unfortunately didn’t always fall where it was meant to and you can only blame the director for this. The potential for lots of laughs was there but timings didn’t always work, so fell a little flat.
Visually the set was aglow with blue and pink lights with the bright supermarket shelves on both sides of the stage leading into checkout aisles centre stage, even more glittery than a Morrisons Christmas advert. With numbers incorporating dancing customers and supermarket workers pushing twirly trolleys adding to the supermarket vibe, choreographer, Matt Cole, definitely embraced some of those iconic Steps moves within each song here too.
Rebecca Lock in the lead role of Caz certainly has the vocal pipes to play this role and does a pretty good job with what she has to play with. Her vocals are super impressive as she gets to perform the majority of the songs in this production too; and there are a lot of them, 25 in all, including Stomp, Last Thing on My Mind, One for Sorrow, Tragedy, Deeper Shade of Blue, Here and Now (obvs) and of course, 5678!
Finty Williams hams it up nicely in the role of Manager, Patricia, landing the majority of the laughs; and drag queen, River Medway as Jem, is a popular addition to the cast and provides a fabulous drag act number with Chain Reaction. I also enjoyed Story of a Heart with Jem and Robbie (Blake Patrick Anderson) who along with Rosie Singha as Neeta, make their roles the most believable and investable of the bunch.
I think it’s fair to say that the best part of the evening was when the cast returned after the bows for a Steps Medley and the audience were up on their feet singing and jigging away to the band’s most popular songs. Kudos to MD, Georgia Rawlins, who does a great job conducting the 6 piece band as well as being on keys here.
Expectations for Hear & Now, as with most jukebox musicals these days, was never that high but I’m afraid that this is one jukebox musical that is probably Better Best Forgotten.
Review: Kim Tobin
Set in a supermarket, Better Best Bargains, we are introduced to Caz who is awaiting news of whether her and her partner have been accepted to adopt a child. Her supermarket bestie of 25 years, Vel, has to read out the email to her as she is too nervous to read it herself, and when the news is good, her colleagues, Neeta and Robbie are equally as excited as she is. All this just before Caz’s 50th birthday (are you allowed to adopt at that age?) Anyway, it turns out that Caz is the most popular person at Better Best Bargains - everyone adores her as she is the mother hen of the workplace, offering out advice and comfort for all. So, when Vel clearly needs to break away from her miserable relationship, and Neeta fancies Ben but is too shy to approach him and then Robbie wants to find love with a suitable fella, it’s down to Caz to steer them in the right direction and declare a ‘Summer of Love’ pact where they all have to sort themselves out.
Of course, Shaun Kitchener, who wrote the book wasn’t going to let it lie there and we have a whole plethora of twists and turns as the supermarket workers attempt to find love and deal with dodgy dealings within the confines of this supermarket setting. Unfortunately, this is where this musical is let down, with a script that is just about plausible, yet failing miserably with dialogue that really doesn’t flow or feel real.
I don’t know if the sound was pumped up on Southend’s opening night at the Cliffs Pavilion, but every line felt like it was being overly projected and on top of those super Steps songs that often need the power of chest vocals, this was quite an assault on the ears at times. The narrative felt like every conversation had to end with a punch line, which unfortunately didn’t always fall where it was meant to and you can only blame the director for this. The potential for lots of laughs was there but timings didn’t always work, so fell a little flat.
Visually the set was aglow with blue and pink lights with the bright supermarket shelves on both sides of the stage leading into checkout aisles centre stage, even more glittery than a Morrisons Christmas advert. With numbers incorporating dancing customers and supermarket workers pushing twirly trolleys adding to the supermarket vibe, choreographer, Matt Cole, definitely embraced some of those iconic Steps moves within each song here too.
Rebecca Lock in the lead role of Caz certainly has the vocal pipes to play this role and does a pretty good job with what she has to play with. Her vocals are super impressive as she gets to perform the majority of the songs in this production too; and there are a lot of them, 25 in all, including Stomp, Last Thing on My Mind, One for Sorrow, Tragedy, Deeper Shade of Blue, Here and Now (obvs) and of course, 5678!
Finty Williams hams it up nicely in the role of Manager, Patricia, landing the majority of the laughs; and drag queen, River Medway as Jem, is a popular addition to the cast and provides a fabulous drag act number with Chain Reaction. I also enjoyed Story of a Heart with Jem and Robbie (Blake Patrick Anderson) who along with Rosie Singha as Neeta, make their roles the most believable and investable of the bunch.
I think it’s fair to say that the best part of the evening was when the cast returned after the bows for a Steps Medley and the audience were up on their feet singing and jigging away to the band’s most popular songs. Kudos to MD, Georgia Rawlins, who does a great job conducting the 6 piece band as well as being on keys here.
Expectations for Hear & Now, as with most jukebox musicals these days, was never that high but I’m afraid that this is one jukebox musical that is probably Better Best Forgotten.
Review: Kim Tobin
INTERVIEW WITH STEPS!
With 22 million record sales and 500 million streams under their collective belts, Steps are the UK's most successful mixed-gender band ever. Since coming to fame in 1997 with 5,6,7,8, Claire Richards, Faye Tozer, Ian 'H' Watkins, Lee Latchford-Evans and Lisa Scott-Lee have notched up 14 top five singles and four number one albums and have sold out arenas across 11 tours. All of which begs the question: Why has it taken so long for a Steps musical to reach the stage?
Turns out they've been biding their time, waiting for the dovetailing of the perfect story with the right creative team. "And we feel that this is exactly the right time for Here & Now," says Lisa of a show that the band is co-producing with ROYO and Pete Waterman - the producer who once famously compared Steps to being like ABBA on speed and who helped launched their career with one smash hit after another.
First premiering at The Alexandria, Birmingham, for a limited engagement last year and now heading out on a major UK And Ireland tour, the musical is written by Shaun Kitchener, directed by Rachel Kavanaugh and choreographed by Matt Cole. "So we've got the dream team," Lisa continues. "We've all been talking and dreaming about this for around ten years but we haven't rushed the process. It's taken time to find all the right components."
Claire shares Lisa's enthusiasm for what she promises will be "a heartwarming night of humour and hilarity". And it's true to the Steps brand, with the singer adding: "You can expect exactly what'd expect from a Steps concert - coming away from it feeling like you've seen an amazing show, have been uplifted and have had that element of escapism for a couple of hours. It's really important for us that people leave the theatre feeling like they've been moved by it, that it's given them a really good laugh and that they've been able to sing along at the top of their voices at the end."
Hailed by The Times as "a playwright to watch" for his debut Positive, Shaun Kitchener's other credits include Bradley One More Time and All That on stage as well as more than 50 episodes of Hollyoaks on TV. His original book for Here & Now revolves around a seaside superstore called Better Best Bargains on a Friday night where everyone's dancing in the aisles. But then Caz discovers that the shelves are stocked with lies and betrayal and the summer of love she and her friends dreamed of suddenly feels like a tragedy. Have they all lost their chance of a happy ending? Or does love have other plans in store?
Steps fans will spot the references to some of their signature hits in that plot summary. But as Lee points out, Shaun has crafted a strong storyline in what will be far from just another jukebox musical. "We're not trying to shoehorn songs in there just for the sake of it," Lee elaborates. "It's been about getting the story right, then seeing which song fits which scene lyrically and emotionally. We're so lucky to have such a huge back catalogue where we can have a good look at the songs and think 'Which one really is going to work here?'"
H takes up the thread with: "Lyrically our songs have many many layers. I think that's why we as a band and our music have had massive success and longevity. Claire always talks about our lyrics being about a telling story, so they take you on a journey. Although they're often very upbeat, happy, up-tempo songs, sometimes they have kind of a dark undertone and that makes for great storytelling."
Faye nods her head in agreement. "When we've had feedback from our fans, a lot of them will say that our music has been sort of the theme of the journey of their lives. It's been like a diary, with songs that they've gone to when they've been down and songs they've gone to when they need to be elated and lifted again. With this show, we were very conscious of making sure that the story and the characters were exactly right and that the people who are our fans, as well as everybody else, would be able to relate to it."
Steps have had quite the journey, conquering the UK and Europe and enjoying huge success in Australia too. Formed through auditions in 1997, they shocked fans by breaking up in 2001 but got back together in 2011, since which they've released four huge-selling albums (including 2022's best-of Platinum Collection) and a string of digital chart hits.
But Here & Now, which draws its title from their 2001 single of the same name, isn't the Steps story. It's an all-new narrative, with Claire saying: "This is a completely standalone story and the characters aren't based on us. We wanted it to be its own tale and to let the music do the talking, so to speak."
Rachel Kavanagh is an award-winning director whose vast CV includes acclaimed dramas, Shakespeare productions and such shows as Clueless, Half a Sixpence, The Sound of Music, The Great British Bake Off Musical, Guys and Dolls and Oklahoma! to name just a few. "And she's amazing," H gushes. "She's so lovely and when she told us that she actually came to Steps concerts we were blown away."
Of the rest of the creative team, Faye notes: "They're also fans of Steps, which is really important because it means they've got our backs. They're really really invested in this and they want to make it as successful as possible."
Choreographer Matt Cole is another award winner, feted for his work on Newsies on Broadway and in London. His other credits include A Knight’s Tale, Fiddler on the Roof, Fisherman's Friends, Flashdance, Footloose and Little Shop of Horrors. Lisa reveals that he'll be using some of the band's famous dance moves as inspiration. "But he's also creating something new and fresh that's never been seen before."
Among the band's numerous hits are the number ones Tragedy/Heartbeat and Stomp along with One for Sorrow, Better Best Forgotten, Last Thing on My Mind, Love's Got a Hold on My Heart, Chain Reaction and so many more. With such an embarrassment of riches, how have they decided which ones to include in the show?
H grins proudly. "That's the problem but it's a nice problem to have. It's the same as when we go on tour. We have a big meeting and it's really difficult knowing which songs to perform and which songs to leave out. With this musical the only difference, as Lee says, is thinking about the lyrical content of how they fit within a narrative. We've been very careful not to choose songs just for the sake of including them."
The fivesome are known for their spectacular (or indeed steptacular!) live shows and they promise Here & Now will also be a treat for the eyes and ears. "I don't want to give stuff away but it's not going to be low-key," Faye teases. "Visually, one of the reasons that we've chosen this specific setting is because we wanted to be able to have escapism and moments where it's very much Steps."
Like her bandmates, Faye has done her fair share of musical theatre. "And my favourite shows to be in have always been the ones where the music has lifted me and I've been standing at the side of the stage, watching the other performers do their scenes before I go back on. I just think whoever appears in this show is going to be living their best lives."
Having celebrated their 25th anniversary in 2022 with a sold-out summer tour, Steps also went to number one that year with their Platinum Collection - making them one of only four groups (ABBA, Rolling Stones and Stereophonics are the others) in UK history to notch up chart-topping albums across four decades.
They have always been about giving people a good time and Here & Now fits perfectly within that ethos. "Everybody needs escapism in their life at some point and that's what we're bringing with this musical," Lee says. "As we've always said from day one with Steps, no matter what's going on in your life you can come to one of our shows, put it all aside for two hours and have a great time. If we manage that with the musical too then we've done our job."
With that in mind, they're putting making new records and touring on hold for a while so they can channel their time and energy into this production. "We want to give it the best chance that it can have and be involved with it as much as we can," Claire explains. "If our attention was taken away with us making new music or going on tour then I think we'd be doing the musical a disservice. We're completely focused on making this a fantastic night out."
And as Lisa reiterates, they've got the dream team behind them. "Everybody's so excited and so happy to be on board," she beams, "and they've told us that they've turned down other things to work with us, which is mind-blowing. They all really want to be part of this new journey for Steps."
Turns out they've been biding their time, waiting for the dovetailing of the perfect story with the right creative team. "And we feel that this is exactly the right time for Here & Now," says Lisa of a show that the band is co-producing with ROYO and Pete Waterman - the producer who once famously compared Steps to being like ABBA on speed and who helped launched their career with one smash hit after another.
First premiering at The Alexandria, Birmingham, for a limited engagement last year and now heading out on a major UK And Ireland tour, the musical is written by Shaun Kitchener, directed by Rachel Kavanaugh and choreographed by Matt Cole. "So we've got the dream team," Lisa continues. "We've all been talking and dreaming about this for around ten years but we haven't rushed the process. It's taken time to find all the right components."
Claire shares Lisa's enthusiasm for what she promises will be "a heartwarming night of humour and hilarity". And it's true to the Steps brand, with the singer adding: "You can expect exactly what'd expect from a Steps concert - coming away from it feeling like you've seen an amazing show, have been uplifted and have had that element of escapism for a couple of hours. It's really important for us that people leave the theatre feeling like they've been moved by it, that it's given them a really good laugh and that they've been able to sing along at the top of their voices at the end."
Hailed by The Times as "a playwright to watch" for his debut Positive, Shaun Kitchener's other credits include Bradley One More Time and All That on stage as well as more than 50 episodes of Hollyoaks on TV. His original book for Here & Now revolves around a seaside superstore called Better Best Bargains on a Friday night where everyone's dancing in the aisles. But then Caz discovers that the shelves are stocked with lies and betrayal and the summer of love she and her friends dreamed of suddenly feels like a tragedy. Have they all lost their chance of a happy ending? Or does love have other plans in store?
Steps fans will spot the references to some of their signature hits in that plot summary. But as Lee points out, Shaun has crafted a strong storyline in what will be far from just another jukebox musical. "We're not trying to shoehorn songs in there just for the sake of it," Lee elaborates. "It's been about getting the story right, then seeing which song fits which scene lyrically and emotionally. We're so lucky to have such a huge back catalogue where we can have a good look at the songs and think 'Which one really is going to work here?'"
H takes up the thread with: "Lyrically our songs have many many layers. I think that's why we as a band and our music have had massive success and longevity. Claire always talks about our lyrics being about a telling story, so they take you on a journey. Although they're often very upbeat, happy, up-tempo songs, sometimes they have kind of a dark undertone and that makes for great storytelling."
Faye nods her head in agreement. "When we've had feedback from our fans, a lot of them will say that our music has been sort of the theme of the journey of their lives. It's been like a diary, with songs that they've gone to when they've been down and songs they've gone to when they need to be elated and lifted again. With this show, we were very conscious of making sure that the story and the characters were exactly right and that the people who are our fans, as well as everybody else, would be able to relate to it."
Steps have had quite the journey, conquering the UK and Europe and enjoying huge success in Australia too. Formed through auditions in 1997, they shocked fans by breaking up in 2001 but got back together in 2011, since which they've released four huge-selling albums (including 2022's best-of Platinum Collection) and a string of digital chart hits.
But Here & Now, which draws its title from their 2001 single of the same name, isn't the Steps story. It's an all-new narrative, with Claire saying: "This is a completely standalone story and the characters aren't based on us. We wanted it to be its own tale and to let the music do the talking, so to speak."
Rachel Kavanagh is an award-winning director whose vast CV includes acclaimed dramas, Shakespeare productions and such shows as Clueless, Half a Sixpence, The Sound of Music, The Great British Bake Off Musical, Guys and Dolls and Oklahoma! to name just a few. "And she's amazing," H gushes. "She's so lovely and when she told us that she actually came to Steps concerts we were blown away."
Of the rest of the creative team, Faye notes: "They're also fans of Steps, which is really important because it means they've got our backs. They're really really invested in this and they want to make it as successful as possible."
Choreographer Matt Cole is another award winner, feted for his work on Newsies on Broadway and in London. His other credits include A Knight’s Tale, Fiddler on the Roof, Fisherman's Friends, Flashdance, Footloose and Little Shop of Horrors. Lisa reveals that he'll be using some of the band's famous dance moves as inspiration. "But he's also creating something new and fresh that's never been seen before."
Among the band's numerous hits are the number ones Tragedy/Heartbeat and Stomp along with One for Sorrow, Better Best Forgotten, Last Thing on My Mind, Love's Got a Hold on My Heart, Chain Reaction and so many more. With such an embarrassment of riches, how have they decided which ones to include in the show?
H grins proudly. "That's the problem but it's a nice problem to have. It's the same as when we go on tour. We have a big meeting and it's really difficult knowing which songs to perform and which songs to leave out. With this musical the only difference, as Lee says, is thinking about the lyrical content of how they fit within a narrative. We've been very careful not to choose songs just for the sake of including them."
The fivesome are known for their spectacular (or indeed steptacular!) live shows and they promise Here & Now will also be a treat for the eyes and ears. "I don't want to give stuff away but it's not going to be low-key," Faye teases. "Visually, one of the reasons that we've chosen this specific setting is because we wanted to be able to have escapism and moments where it's very much Steps."
Like her bandmates, Faye has done her fair share of musical theatre. "And my favourite shows to be in have always been the ones where the music has lifted me and I've been standing at the side of the stage, watching the other performers do their scenes before I go back on. I just think whoever appears in this show is going to be living their best lives."
Having celebrated their 25th anniversary in 2022 with a sold-out summer tour, Steps also went to number one that year with their Platinum Collection - making them one of only four groups (ABBA, Rolling Stones and Stereophonics are the others) in UK history to notch up chart-topping albums across four decades.
They have always been about giving people a good time and Here & Now fits perfectly within that ethos. "Everybody needs escapism in their life at some point and that's what we're bringing with this musical," Lee says. "As we've always said from day one with Steps, no matter what's going on in your life you can come to one of our shows, put it all aside for two hours and have a great time. If we manage that with the musical too then we've done our job."
With that in mind, they're putting making new records and touring on hold for a while so they can channel their time and energy into this production. "We want to give it the best chance that it can have and be involved with it as much as we can," Claire explains. "If our attention was taken away with us making new music or going on tour then I think we'd be doing the musical a disservice. We're completely focused on making this a fantastic night out."
And as Lisa reiterates, they've got the dream team behind them. "Everybody's so excited and so happy to be on board," she beams, "and they've told us that they've turned down other things to work with us, which is mind-blowing. They all really want to be part of this new journey for Steps."
UK pop band Steps are delighted to announce that their official musical HERE & NOW, will be at the Cliffs Pavilion from Tuesday 7 to Saturday 11 October.
Featuring Steps’ most beloved hit songs, HERE & NOW is produced by the band and ROYO with Pete Waterman and Fascination Management with an original book by Shaun Kitchener and is directed by Rachel Kavanaugh and choreographed by Olivier Award winning Matt Cole.
Welcome to seaside superstore Better Best Bargains, where it's Friday night, the vibe is right, and everyone's dancing in the aisles. But when Caz discovers the shelves are stocked with lies and betrayal, the summer of love she and her friends dreamed of suddenly feels like a tragedy. Have they all lost their chance of a 'happy ever after'? Or does love have other plans in store…
Steps - Claire Richards, Faye Tozer, Ian ‘H’ Watkins’, Lee Latchford-Evans and Lisa Scott-Lee - are the UK’s most successful mixed sex pop group of all time, with 14 top five singles, four number one albums, 22 million record sales, 500 million streams & 11 sold-out national arena tours under their belts. The band’s hits include #1 singles Tragedy/Heartbeat and Stomp, the gold certified One For Sorrow & Better Best Forgotten, the silver certified 5,6,7,8, Last Thing On My Mind, Love’s Got A Hold Of My Heart, Chain Reaction, all of which will feature in the musical alongside many more.
Steps’ 2017 comeback tour sold out all 300,000 tickets, making it one of the biggest pop tours of the year. The band have since continued to release new music including two further iTunes #1 singles, the Sia-penned What The Future Holds in 2020 and the Michelle Visage duet Heartbreak In This City in 2022.
In 2022 Steps celebrated their 25th anniversary with a headline summer tour and released the #1 album Platinum Collection which means they join ABBA, Rolling Stones and Stereophonics as the only groups in UK history to score #1 albums in four consecutive decades.
Musical supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Matt Spencer-Smith, set design is by Tom Rogers, costume design is by Gabriella Slade, lighting design by Howard Hudson, sound design by Adam Fisher, wigs, hair and makeup design by Sam Cox, casting by Will Burton for Grindrod Burton Casting, Music Technology by Phij Adams with Production Management by Setting Line.
Here & Now – The Steps Musical
Tue 7 – Sat 11 October
Cliffs Pavilion
thecliffspavilion.co.uk
Featuring Steps’ most beloved hit songs, HERE & NOW is produced by the band and ROYO with Pete Waterman and Fascination Management with an original book by Shaun Kitchener and is directed by Rachel Kavanaugh and choreographed by Olivier Award winning Matt Cole.
Welcome to seaside superstore Better Best Bargains, where it's Friday night, the vibe is right, and everyone's dancing in the aisles. But when Caz discovers the shelves are stocked with lies and betrayal, the summer of love she and her friends dreamed of suddenly feels like a tragedy. Have they all lost their chance of a 'happy ever after'? Or does love have other plans in store…
Steps - Claire Richards, Faye Tozer, Ian ‘H’ Watkins’, Lee Latchford-Evans and Lisa Scott-Lee - are the UK’s most successful mixed sex pop group of all time, with 14 top five singles, four number one albums, 22 million record sales, 500 million streams & 11 sold-out national arena tours under their belts. The band’s hits include #1 singles Tragedy/Heartbeat and Stomp, the gold certified One For Sorrow & Better Best Forgotten, the silver certified 5,6,7,8, Last Thing On My Mind, Love’s Got A Hold Of My Heart, Chain Reaction, all of which will feature in the musical alongside many more.
Steps’ 2017 comeback tour sold out all 300,000 tickets, making it one of the biggest pop tours of the year. The band have since continued to release new music including two further iTunes #1 singles, the Sia-penned What The Future Holds in 2020 and the Michelle Visage duet Heartbreak In This City in 2022.
In 2022 Steps celebrated their 25th anniversary with a headline summer tour and released the #1 album Platinum Collection which means they join ABBA, Rolling Stones and Stereophonics as the only groups in UK history to score #1 albums in four consecutive decades.
Musical supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Matt Spencer-Smith, set design is by Tom Rogers, costume design is by Gabriella Slade, lighting design by Howard Hudson, sound design by Adam Fisher, wigs, hair and makeup design by Sam Cox, casting by Will Burton for Grindrod Burton Casting, Music Technology by Phij Adams with Production Management by Setting Line.
Here & Now – The Steps Musical
Tue 7 – Sat 11 October
Cliffs Pavilion
thecliffspavilion.co.uk