That’ll Be the Day. Royal & Derngate. Northampton

That’ll Be the Day is back on the road for its 40th anniversary, and it is louder, brighter, and cheekier than ever!

In this wild production, brought to you by Trevor Payne and Prestige Productions, audiences are taken on a journey from the 50s through to the 80s with outstanding cover performances from your classic Beatles to the iconic Madonna, and certainly some quite rude humour. It is a full-on nostalgia trip that knows exactly its audience.

I might be one of the youngest people in the room, and it shows. The theatre is completely packed with the older generations of the time. It has them screeching with laughter and up on their feet, dancing and clapping. I would not necessarily recommend this show to your Travis Scott-loving teenagers. Still, if your Nan’s birthday is coming up and you don’t know what to get her, then I can definitely recommend buying tickets.

Each singer performing has a flawless, unique voice that is sure to make you feel like you are listening to the real original artist. You can really tell when watching them that their passion for music is strong. I must, however, give credit to one specific performer, Nikki Renee Hechavarria, whose genuinely stunning cover of Touch Me in the Morning by Diana Ross completely blews me away. She is a star; there is no doubt about it.

Throughout the night, performers Trevor Payne and Gary Anderson act as a comedic duo, referencing iconic pop culture such as Bill & Ben, the Flowerpot Men, which my mum, sitting next to me, could appreciate. I, most of the time, do not understand the references; however, I certainly understood the innuendos of the jokes. It really makes you realise that your grannies and grandpops are not so innocent as they may appear.

The crew of this production certainly do an unforgettable job at creating a stage you cannot keep your eyes off. They are not afraid to use all the colours of the rainbow to a full bright maximum, and their usage of fire and sparkles at the end of a big song creates a dramatic and epic effect. Projections of more iconic pop culture references, such as Top of the Pops, takes me back to a time I never even lived, but somehow still feel part of.

In a lot of musical productions I have watched before, the band fades into the background, but here, they are impossible to ignore. Remaining on stage the whole time, the band really bring the music to life from the strumming of the electric guitar to the whacking of the drum set. They even sing along as well! It makes the whole show feel more alive and authentic.

So… if you think you might be interested in this time-travelling musical show, then take a peep at their website to see if they are coming to your local theatre.

And, even better, all taxable profits will go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which gives children with chronic illnesses the chance to make a dream come true.