Fab Four fans got the chance to Twist and Shout down memory lane as the tribute band of Let It Be took to the stage last night.
A promising opening, set in The Cavern Club, made the audience feel as though they were witnessing an early Beatles gig.
With the echoing effects put on hits such as I Saw Her Standing There and It Won’t Be Long, alongside the visual effects portraying the tunnel-like structure of the venue, it emulated the iconic venue perfectly.
But from here onwards this is all we receive. Rather than being educated in something new, or even a musical adaptation of the Fab Four’s career, the audience instead get re-enactments of their more famous performances, such as the 1963 Royal Variety Performance.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: George Harrison (John Brosnan)
Even when the musicians are off stage archive footage of advertisements and world affairs of the time are projected onto screens, which perhaps could have been an opportunity to attempt something more original.
The musicians however manage to save the show. With the uncanny vocals of John Lennon (Michael Gagliano) and Paul McCartney (James Fox) sounding like the real deal, alongside George Harrison’s (John Brosnan) psychedelic guitar riffs, and the energy behind Ringo Starr’s (Ben Cullingworth) drumming, gave off the essence of being a genuine rock and roll concert.
Their rapport with this audience was also executed well. From getting the whole crowd to stand up and dance to Twist and Shout, to ending with the bellowing chant of Hey Jude, the audience were enticed and lost in song throughout.
The show was also visually gripping. The lighting, and psychedelic projections to songs such Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, gave off such a hallucinating essence you might have felt just like Lennon and McCartney did when writing these songs.
IMAGINE: John Lennon (Michael Gagliano)
The attention to detail on the array of costumes and instruments showed just how much effort had been put into the show.
Even more, the way the performers managed to keep up a Liverpool accent throughout the show was rather impressive.
With all this great attention to detail it was a shame when the synth player broke character and joked about ‘One Direction letting us have him for the night’.
In all the show may not have done justice when defined as a ‘Beatles musical’, but rather was a tribute towards their greatest hits which may be more suitable for a music venue rather than the theatre.
