If you are expecting a musical based on the Beatles – their rise and bitter breakups laced with fictional dialogue and events then you will be disappointed with Let It Be .
For Let It Be, is not a musical. It falls between a tribute night and a celebratory concert of the Fab Four with a little dialogue thrown in only to colour the scenes and sparse offerings of video footage on TV screens, but what sets it apart is the skill of its musicians and the musically magnificient arrangements.
It’s a high energy show that gets off to an explosive start with some humorous off stage announcements. The audience are encouraged to sing, dance and even take pictures “even if you are 17 or wish you were”. Such remarks coupled with “let your hair down if you still have any” highly amused the first night audience for the majority of whom the songs must have brought back memories of special moments in their child of the 60’s youth.
The opening sequence in the Cavern was upbeat and amazing, I loved Ringo with his cig hanging from his mouth, leading beautifully into the Beatles Royal Variety debut with the joke Lennon made about “rattling jewellery” and the audience did as requested and took to their feet for “the Queen” in the Twist and Shout Number and clapped, danced and sang.
A spectacular Sgt Pepper sequence excellently staged and costumed was pure gold The mood changed in the second half with later musical numbers including the 1969 concert on the top of the Apple Corps building just before the Beatles broke up in 1970. Apart from Yellow Submarine there was no longer anything to clap or dance to
And a feeling of melancholy descended. The feel good factor had disappeared. The audience craved a finale of participation.
A finale of those early hits would have sent the audience clapping and dancing all the way from the theatre. Instead everyone had a “is that it” look on their faces.
The Fab Four cast are on a rotating basis and first night cast, Reuven Gershon (John), Iain Hornal (Paul), Stuart Wilkinson (Ringo), John Brosnan (George), although they sometimes lacked the Liverpudlian Accent, were brilliant singers and musicians. Although, it has to be said, some of the wigs left a lot to be desired, but they looked the as much as physically possible like clones of the Fab Four. In fact I thought Ringo, on the drums, had been reincarnated he looked so real!
The projected back drops help create stunning sets and the lighting and effects add to the mood but whilst the lighting may be great for large arena venues it needs adjustment for the theatre as at times it dazzled and dazed the stalls audience.
Let It Be is a trip down memory lane for us all as everyone has danced in some decade to their hits. However with the choice of finale numbers the show won’t have you dancing down Briggate but the first half will see you Runs until 16 July at The Grand Theatre Leeds
Liz Coggins