Posted: Thursday 17th July 2008

News of a musical based on Take That songs had fans of the popular 90s boyband almost wetting themselves with excitement. Sadly the newly reformed Take That weren’t too kind about the show and refused to go and see their songs used in a West End Show. That’s a real shame because Never Forget is an enjoyable guilty pleasure of a musical and it’s easy to see why the show has become such a runaway success.

Never Forget tells the story of Ash Sherwood (Dean Chisnall), a singer-songwriter on the Manchester pub circuit. When his mother’s pub facing financial ruin, Ash is convinced to try out for a Take That tribute band by his best friend Jake (Craige Els) and his fiancee, and Jake’s sister, Chloe (Sophia Ragavelas). Manager Ron Freeman (Teddy Kempner) is at the helm of the tribute band and wants to enter them into a competition to win £10,000, something Jake is keen to do to help save his mum’s pub. After successfully winning places in the group, Ash and Jake meet the other three successful applicants Adrian (Tim Driesen), Harry (Eaton James) and Jose (Stephane Anelli). After getting off to a slow start, Ash becomes the voice of the group and it’s not long until record company executive Annie (Joanne Farrell) is trying to lure him away for solo stardom. What follows is a story of backstabbing, greed, friendship and love accompanied by the many hits of Take That.

The plot for Never Forget may not be the most original but it has a certain charm that reels the audience in. Despite its predictability, the plot manages to engage and entertain the audience. Of course the real hook is hearing the classic Take That tracks such as A Million Love Songs, Back For Good and Once You’ve Tasted Love. The standout moment is during the finale when the boys take to the stage to sing a rousing version of Relight My Fire. By this point there was hardly a bum left in the seats as everyone was on their feet with their flashing horns on.

Never Forget’s other selling point is the incredibly talented ensemble cast. Despite a few dodgy accents here and there, the singing was flawless and each actor threw themselves into their roles. Dean Chisnall channelled Gary Barlow incredibly well as Ash. He had a great voice but was probably the dullest character in the production. Much better were the other four members of the tribute band. Craige Els was hilarious as the ladies’ man of the group whereas Tim Driesen was adorable as the geek turned hunk Adrian. Stephane Anelli displayed a great knack for comic timing and Eaton James brought sex appeal and a remarkable body to the show. Sophia Ragavelas is also worthy of a mention due to her incredible, powerhouse vocal. Her solo of Love Ain’t Here Anymore sent shivers down our spines and was the most emotional moment of the show.

Never Forget treats Take That’s back catalogue with respect and it’s an absolute joy to hear all of these classics performed in a new and refreshing way. The cast always looked like they were having as much fun as the audience and the general atmosphere was that of a concert rather than a West End show. At 2 hours and 45 minutes, the show is definitely value for money and despite the odd saucy moment it’s a show the whole family can enjoy. We’d recommend Never Forget as the show to see this summer.