By Yanelle Cruz
'The Cher Show tells the incredible story of Cher’s meteoric rise to fame, flying in the face of convention at every turn. This HUGE new production features a fresh take on her show-stopping costumes which earned her the title of "the ruler of outré reinvention" (VOGUE). In a dazzling glitter fest sparkling with Cher’s signature wit and style to the sounds of her biggest hits, including If I Could Turn Back Time, Strong Enough, Gypsies Tramps and Thieves, The Shoop Shoop Song, I Got You Babe, and Believe. Written by Tony award-winning Rick Elice (Jersey Boys), this brand new UK production is directed by Arlene Phillips (Grease, Starlight Express), choreographed by Oti Mabuse (double Strictly Come Dancing winner), with costumes by Gabriella Slade (Spice World Tour, SIX).'
If you’re anything like me, you know who Cher is (because who doesn’t?) but you may not have grown up listening to her music or knowing her story, so you may not know what to expect when going to see The Cher Show at the New Theatre. As soon as you walk into the theatre, you are met with an impressive staging with many hanging garment bags (a nod to Cher’s iconic looks), and two tall shelves with several wigs (a reference to Cher’s iconic hairstyles). The show began with an impressive sequence of lights, music, and choreography performed by insanely talented dancers and right away, I knew I was in for a treat. It took me a second to recognise that the three actresses represented three different eras of Cher, but I have to admit this quickly became one of my favourite parts of the show. Watching each actress brilliantly play Babe, Lady, and Star (Cher’s three eras) was such a unique way to present the story while showcasing the span of Cher’s career and her various iconic reinventions of herself. Each actress was insanely talented and the vocals were 10/10, making it a joy to watch them interact and perform on stage.
Another one of my favourite aspects of the show was the ingenious stage design which often found new ways to incorporate the years as they took us through the story. For reference, the show begins in 1952 and takes you all the way to the early 2000s. As someone who is not incredibly familiar with the span of Cher’s life and career, knowing where we were situated as the story progressed was a really nice touch. And of course, I fell in love with the costumes!
Cher’s unapologetic diva energy really shines throughout the show in the best way possible, and you can’t help but root for her success and happiness the entire time. The show concludes with a delightful medley of some of Cher’s iconic hits and the audience had a blast dancing and singing along. I would 100% recommend this show to anyone looking for an escape from a stressful day of work, we had a really fun time and my friend and I left the theatre in such a great mood!
For as little as £13, get a ticket and don’t miss out on a really fun night out!