LET IT BE

Let It Be

West End Production

Prince of Wales Theatre, London

Thursday 8th November 2012

The Beatles were an undisputed pop phenomenon, and love them or hate them their music still attracts a diverse and passionate fan base.  This West End production, at the Prince of Wales for a short filler run before the Mormon's come to town next year, is a perfectly pitched tribute to the greatest and most successful boy band ever.

Split into four sections, with a costume and set change for each, we open on the humble beginnings in Liverpool, transforming with iconic styling into St Pepper, opening act two with the flower power of The Magical Mystery Tour, and closing with John in a white suit and a shoeless Paul as they bring the Abbey Road album cover to life.  Each section is designed with absolute clarity and astute attention to detail, sensitive to the fact each audience would be littered with fervent experts.

Over 20 of the band's biggest hits are included, tracking them through their 10 years together.  Excerpts of adverts and news clippings are interspersed with live streaming of the on-stage band on large screens either side of the stage, allowing for scene changes to be neatly and entertainingly covered.

Two groups of musicians share the eight performances each week, extremely talented and looking the part.  Not much call for acting as such, as the songs keep on coming, but each looks the part and portrays the mannerisms and stage prescence of their respective member of the fab four.  Playing each number live, with an array of different guitars to suit each scene, they are a very talented group of performers.

Not a musical at all but most definitely a high-budget, well-executed tribute show, this is a must-see for any Beatles fan.