I Should Be So Lucky, a new musical from director Debbie Isitt from the musical minds of Stock, Aitken and Waterman, has landed in Cardiff Bay’s Wales Millenium Centre this week, and it’s one to watch.
I went in expecting a Mamma Mia spoof that fell short of the classic, but I was eating my words by the end of the opening half. Camp, over-the-top and an assault on the senses, but in the best possible way! I Should Be So Lucky has the potential to be a real hit, especially amongst the ladies who loved the hits of the ‘80s.
With an almost pantomime feel, Kylie Minogue makes her appearance via magic mirror (or digital screen) and hails a fairy godmother-like figure to lead character Ella, played by songstress Lucie-Mae Sumner.
As Ella gears up for her big day, she is shockingly jilted at the alter by Nathan, played by Billy Roberts, due to a mix-up with stories from elderly relatives. As she jets off on what was her honeymoon surrounded by her nearest and dearest, we follow each character through hilarious mishaps, romances and holiday fun, set to the soundtrack of Especially for You, Love in the First Degree, and Respectable.
From sister Britney (Jessica Daley) hitting it off with another woman’s husband, to mum Shelley (Melissa Jaques) running away from a boring marriage, along with nana Ivy’s (Jemma Churchill) vajazzle falling off, we follow Ella and her group’s journey around Turkiye whilst Nathan and best man Ash (Giovanni Spanò) follow them there to win Ella back.
A massive shout out to Giovanni for an hilarious performance as the cockney charmer, who had the audience in fits of laughter during his rendition of You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) as a local waiter, fit with fake moustache and mullet.
The staging was more than eye-catching, with light-up hearts anywhere and everywhere you could look, constantly swapping and changing, flashing and glittering. With a large cast and staging for a touring show, you can see the production value is up and it really was worth it.
Drawing to a close with a six-way wedding, the case belted out Never Gonna Give You Up and had everyone on their feet, dancing and clapping along, with one audience member whopping and jumping up and down.
One other key member of the audience was none other than Pete Waterman himself. Sneaking in just before the curtain rose, he watched the performance from the stalls, before being attacked for photos and handshakes by the crowd at the end. I hope he enjoyed it as much as I did!
I Should Be So Lucky is showing at the WMC until Saturday, 2 December 2023.
For more information and to book tickets, visit: https://www.wmc.org.uk/en/whats-on/2023/i-should-be-so-lucky
