Greatest Days Review – Empire Theatre, Liverpool

Greatest Days 2023
Image Source: Empire Theatre

Details of Greatest Days

Location: The Empire Theatre, Liverpool

Date: 11th July 2023 (Running from 10th-15th)

Time: 19:30

Running Time: 180 Minutes (Including Interval)

Performers: Kym Marsh, Emilie Cunliffe, Holly Ashton, Hannah Brown,

Rachel Marwood, Kitty Harris, Rachel Marwood, Mari McGinlay, Jamie- Rose Monk, Mary Moore, Kalifa Burton, Jamie Corner, Archie Durrant, Regan Gascoigne, Alexanda O’Reilly, & Christopher D Hunt.

Production Company: Elysium Film Group

Writer & Director: Tim Firth

Introduction

Greatest Days is a jukebox musical featuring music from iconic British boyband, Take That! It is actually the second musical based on songs from Take That. If your a fan of their songs or musicals you can see the show at the Empire Theatre till the 15th July.

Story of Greatest Days

Originally titled ‘The Band’, the titular band was first cast through BBC reality TV show ‘Let It Shine.’ The story follows a group of friends who drifted apart due to a shared tragedy. They connected over their mutual admiration for the band. 25 years after losing touch the friends reunite due to one of them winning tickets in a contest. The friends reunite to watch the band live in Athens.

Analysis of Greatest Days


The story is very innovative having the band stand as a coping mechanism for young Rachel. She relies on the band to help her trough very difficult moments in her life.

The set design was very intuitive with several sets being built out of the main backdrop/staircase. The lighting was dynamic and constantly changed with the music and the mood. The lighting greatly added to the ambience and the mood of the play. I have honestly never seen such a masterclass of lighting on display. The stairs in particular were coated with neon lights allowing them to be a very crucial feature point in most music pieces.

A stand out of the show has to be the dancing. The choreography was outstanding and the whole cast out in a solid performance throughout. The highlight of course being the members of the band but both generations of the main cast proved they had the moves too!

The only downside to the show at all was the quality of singing in the first two songs. However after this they continued to consistently hit it out of the park. With relight my fire being the kickstart they needed to fully show their skills. Afterwards it was clear who the Barlow and Williams was of the group *cough* Corner *cough*, O’Reilly *cough*.

The character focused story and humor had me engaged throughout. There were a couple of lines of dialogue that sounded weird or out of place. Such as Heather claiming they’re travelling to Europe when they already live in Europe. We left the European Union not the continent Heather. However, this could have been an intentional line used to convey Heathers personality.

The whole cast was phenomenal. I really appreciated how the girls grew out of the stereotypes they were mostly portrayed as in the first half of the show. Seeing how they grew and watching them slip into the same group mentality as before is honestly heartwarming. They all gave outstanding performances that oozed personality. I enjoyed watching the dynamic of the younger cast so much it was sad to see them go. However when the older cast step in, they bring some Wine Country style vibe to the whole show. Showing that although they may have changed, their dynamic with each other hasn’t changed that much


Summary of Greatest Days

The hook of Greatest Days has to be seeing Rachel use the band as a coping mechanism for tough times in her life. It brings you in to her life and shows you just how important the band was for her. It was more than just a band; it was her escape.

So escape from your everyday life and come see the Greatest Days at the Empire Theatre. Showing until the 15th of July. You won’t regret it as the show has everything from laughs, tears, iconic music, and amazingly organized dances throughout.

Overall Rating: 8 – Very Good!

You can purchase tickets here!