NOW That's What I Call a Musical - UK Tour 2024/2025

[evilmat360]

Noticed this in the ATG+ facebook group as the presale started today. Another ROYO produced tour.

www.atgtickets.com/shows/now-thats-what-i-call-a-musical/

thenowmusical.com/

Get ready to relive the playlist of your life at the brand-new British musical; NOW That’s What I Call A Musical. Celebrating 40 years of the iconic and chart-topping compilations NOW That’s What I Call Music, which have sold over 200 million copies worldwide, this fun filled evening is bursting with 1980’s hits from Whitney Houston, Wham! Blondie, Tears For Fears, Spandau Ballet and so many more.

Written by award-winning comedian Pippa Evans, and directed and choreographed by Strictly Come Dancing legend Craig Revel Horwood, this heart-warming and funny story takes us on an uplifting journey down memory lane.

It’s Birmingham, 1989. Two school friends, Gemma and April, are busy with very important business - planning their lives based on Number One Magazine quizzes and dreaming of snogging Rick Astley. Cut to Birmingham 2009 and it’s the most dreaded event of their lives the school reunion. Drama, old flames and receding hairlines come together as friends reunite and everything from the past starts to slot into place. The biggest question is: what was with all that hairspray?

NOW is produced by ROYO, Universal Music UK, SONY Music Entertainment and Mighty Village, and celebrates 40 years of NOW That’s What I Call Music.

Venues announced are:

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}Aylesbury Waterside Theatre - Fri 6 Sep - Sat 7 Sep 2024
Sheffield Lyceum Theatre - Tue 10 Sep - Sat 14 Sep 2024
Canterbury The Marlowe - Tue 17 Sep - Sat 21 Sep 2024
Nottingham Theatre Royal - Tue 24 Sep - Sat 28 Sep 2024
Norwich Theatre Royal - Tue 1 Oct - Sat 5 Oct 2024
Newcastle Theatre Royal - Tue 8 Oct - Sat 12 Oct 2024
Bradford Alhambra Theatre - Tue 15 Oct - Sat 19 Oct 2024
Dartford Orchard Theatre - Tue 22 Oct - Sat 26 Oct 2024
Cardiff New Theatre - Tue 29 Oct - Sat 2 Nov 2024
Hall For Cornwall, Truro - Tue 5 Nov - Sat 9 Nov 2024
Milton Keynes Theatre - Tue 12 Nov - Sat 16 Nov 2024
Belfast Grand Opera House - Tue 19 Nov - Sat 23 Nov 2024
Southampton Mayflower Theatre - Tue 14 Jan - Sat 18 Jan 2025
Manchester Opera House - Tue 28 Jan - Sat 1 Feb 2025
Hull New Theatre - Tue 4 Feb - Sat 8 Feb 2025
Southend Cliffs Pavilion - Tue 11 Feb - Sat 15 Feb 2025
Glasgow Kings Theatre - Tue 18 Feb - Sat 22 Feb 2025
Edinburgh Playhouse - Tue 25 Feb - Sat 1 Mar 2025
Liverpool Empire - Tue 4 Mar - Sat 8 Mar 2025
Birmingham Alexandra Theatre - Tue 11 Mar - Sat 15 Mar 2025
York Grand Opera House - Tue 18 Mar - Sat 22 Mar 2025
Oxford New Theatre - Tue 25 Mar - Sat 29 Mar 2025
Bristol Hippodrome - Tue 1 Apr - Sat 5 Apr 2025
New Wimbledon Theatre - Tue 8 Apr - Sat 12 Apr 2025

[talkingheads]

Instant booking for me. Pippa Evans' solo shows at the Fringe are always brilliant, and this looks like it'll be great fun.

[zahidf]

looks like this would be a laugh

[mkb]

Sorry, I have to ask. Why the spoiler tags around venue list on the opening post?

[evilmat360]

Oct 6, 2023 9:53:09 GMT mkb said:

Sorry, I have to ask. Why the spoiler tags around venue list on the opening post?

Tried to keep it from being a massive post to scroll through, so that people could choose to expand the list if they wanted to see it.

[mkb]

Good answer!

[stevej678]

Hefty discount for opening night in Manchester for ATG+ members. Now that's what I call a bargain!

[evilmat360]

Oct 6, 2023 11:09:28 GMT stevej678 said:

Hefty discount for opening night in Manchester for ATG+ members. Now that's what I call a bargain!

From the ATG+ group post "Members get half price tickets for Tue eve performances if booked before 30th Nov." So should be for everywhere it's touring at ATG venues except Aylesbury as that only has friday and saturday evening performances.

[Wilf]

I’ve booked for opening night at The Alex, half price ATG theatre card discount. Didn’t get any emails advertising this from ATG!

[Deleted]

Booked for Manchester, not expecting it to be great, but imagine it is going to be a cheesy, fun night out.

[Deleted]

Seems a good idea for a jukebox musical as you can put a lot of big hits in without them just being by one artist or songwriters. There are a lot of artists who maybe only had one big hit but it might be asong It will be interesting to see what songs they use as a lot of Whitney's stuff is tied up in the Bodyguard, isn't the George Michael songbook fairly well protected I don't think Club Tropicanna was even used in the musical of the same name. Blondie were well before the NTWICM era in their glory years and were used in the Desperately Seeking Susan musucal. But Spandau, TfF sound interesting choices, will we get any Duran Duran, Five Star, Kim Wilde etc from that era.

[adamkinsey]

I thought we couldn't sink lower than Bucks Fizz The Musical. But no...

thenowmusical.com/

Look out Manchester, it may be one those audiences again!

[alece10]

"All star!" Seriously?

[osdtdg]

So a musical being used as a vehicle to get these "guest stars" on stage in theatre, with a loose plot to justify it?

[evilmat360]

Appears that Nina Wadia has been announced for all venues, with the others being Guest Stars each at a sperate venue.

Sinitta has been announced for Aylesbury, Sheffield, Canterbury, Nottingham and Norwich.
Sonia for Newcastle, Cardiff, Milton Keynes and Brighton.
Jay Osmond for Bradford and Dartford.
Carol Decker for Truro, Belfast and Woking.

Nobody has been announced as the guest stars for any of the 2025 venues.

[ceebee]

Pass the prosecco and popcorn.

Please.

[erik24601]

"a new British musical featuring iconic hits from the NOW music brand."

Isn't/Wasn't the 'NOW music brand' just a compilation of the top hits of the time of year that the album came out? What defines them as being part of that brand?

[adamkinsey]

Mar 13, 2024 11:22:05 GMT erik24601 said:

"a new British musical featuring iconic hits from the NOW music brand."

Isn't/Wasn't the 'NOW music brand' just a compilation of the top hits of the time of year that the album came out? What defines them as being part of that brand?

The blurb on the website is atrociously written. I guess they think they don't need to bother, they've got a drunken audience ready and waiting to sing along no matter what they write.

[osdtdg]

Mar 13, 2024 11:49:52 GMT adamkinsey said:

Mar 13, 2024 11:22:05 GMT erik24601 said:

"a new British musical featuring iconic hits from the NOW music brand."

Isn't/Wasn't the 'NOW music brand' just a compilation of the top hits of the time of year that the album came out? What defines them as being part of that brand?

The blurb on the website is atrociously written. I guess they think they don't need to bother, they've got a drunken audience ready and waiting to sing along no matter what they write.

They also just outright duplicated a paragraph as the opening to the next... Good signs!

[BurlyBeaR]

Craig Revel Horwood Director and Choreographer.

Actor musician? Bring your own tambourine Sonia! 

[adamkinsey]

I can see it now. A scene set in the lead character's gran's house. Gran asks if she'd like a nice cup of tea and gets out her best Royal Doulton tea service. As gran passes over a tea cup Carol Decker appears to sing China In Your Hand.

[gotalotofnerve]

Anyone been? Hearing it’s actually quite good.

[voyagerweb]

Sept 8, 2024 15:46:38 GMT gotalotofnerve said:

Anyone been? Hearing it’s actually quite good.

Just seen this in Sheffield. Left a bit speechless at how this has been let loose without any distinguishing plot and makes me think of a secondary school end of year production.

Yes the songs and most of the actors/singers are great and no doubt people who want to listen to 80’s music will love this.

Who will also love this are those who need to be kicked out 20 mins in for disrupting, I think this will feature throughout the tour.

Sinnita comes on for 5 mins and backs off in a very strange way

Sound and lighting was great and one of the only redeeming features

1 Star

[mrbarnaby]

This sounds absolutely ghastly.
As expected.

[TallPaul]

I happened to be passing the Lyceum as yesterday's matinee ended. There was a husband waiting in the car for his wife, mother-in-law and two friends. As she opened the door, I overheard one of them say, "You're in for a bad night. It were sh**e." I kinda assumed she was joking...or maybe not!

Everyone looked happy enough as they streamed out, not a single one of them under 40.

This was at 5.45, so I hope the matinee started at 3pm,rather than 2.30.