Review: The Cher Show, UK Tour, at the Opera House, Manchester

Find a show that has garnered more HYPE than this one has? Ok I'll be more specific, find a TOURING show that has garnered more hype than this one (happy)? 

This week, Manchester is turning back time (hehe), as The Cher Show has come to town. 

Now a few of my friends went to the premiere in Leicester, and got on the hype train: they went back AGAIN in the same week, couldn't stop going on about it in our group chat, and couldn't stop singing Cher songs on our next group call, causing me to try and sing-along when I had the worst cold known to man at the time.... 

So no pressure then... Lucky for our friendship, I can get on the hype train at the next stop. 

Following along in shows like Jersey Boys and Beautiful, The Cher Show the life of multi-award winning singer and actress Cher, from her youth, up until the 1990s; from finding her voice, her relationships and troubles with men, particularly with Sonny Bono, and her mental health troubles from overworking.  

The show began life in the US, playing Broadway in 2019, gaining 2 Tonys, including leading lady Stephanie J Block finally winning her Tony. Now coming to the UK, Arlene Phillips has taken over the directing chair, with (now former) Strictly professional Oti Mabuse choreographing. 

With two powerhouse ladies in position, no wonder this show oozed sass. 

Also I have to wonder how Phillips had with the set design team: 

AP: How many ways can we show the passage of time?

SD: Yes

Seriously, the amount of ways they came up with to showcase the year was insane - perfect as time serves as a big theme in the show. 

In the creative team, there is one final member who is pivotal to this show in particular: costume designer, Gabriella Slade. The similarities you can see in the Chers costumes to her now-iconic garments for SIX (which have also have given her a Tony nomination this past week)! In fact, you could even consider some of the the risqué versions of those costumes... Well we do have 2 SIX Queens in the cast after all...

The sequins, sparkles and shimmers off every costume glittered in Ben Cracknell's lighting; and even those lacked in the shiny department were still really memorable and fun, especially Babe and Sonny's hippy-era get ups. 

On to the cast, and while this is a hard-working ensemble, let's face it: this show belongs to Debbie Kurup (Anything Goes), Millie O'Connell (RENT) and Danielle Steers (First Date). 

All of these three fabulous ladies play Cher at various points in her life; while one is having her part of life (so to speak played out, the others watch on, no-so-silently judging her life choices: making it more similar to Emilia than anything else. 

We start in Cher's youth, and O'Connell playing "Babe"; her childhood, her meeting Sonny when she was just 16 years old, doing backing vocals, and the beginnings of The Sonny & Cher Show. O'Connell has something child-like and youthful about her, allowing her to play Babe with wide-eyed optimism and the shyness Cher was known for back then. 

Then we move into the 70s to "Lady", played by Steers. This was PERFECT casting! 

Steers had some of the hardest scenes to do, as she becomes more confident in her persona, but more bruised, as Sonny's controlling and workaholic behaviour comes to the surface. She pulled that off with grace, poise, and a whole lot of sass. The way she holds herself; the way she is championing the true alto voice... she was magnetic, even when she was sat on the side-lines tossing her hair better than Glinda ever could!

Then the 2nd half belongs to Kurup as "Star", going through the 80s, and her struggling years, going into the 90s. Going from holding an OSCAR, to a hairspray can for advertisements. Star pulls everything together, finding courage from her younger selves to step out and say "ok, bitches, let's do this". It's truly inspirational. 

Yes it's true that Cher has... well been through a lot. But it's set to some TUNES! 

Of course, there are some her biggest hits: If I Could Turn Back Time, The Shoop Shoop Song, I Got You Babe, and of course Believe. But also expect songs from the time that have meant something to Cher or her career: such as A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes from Cinderella, or Da Doo Ron Ron. 

Oh and I cannot go without mentioning that INSANE finale! Complete with a little bit of audience karaoke! Adding in my upload onto YouTube in the mix; seeing it live is not like anything else though.... 

I can quite plainly say I am on the hype train now; and I ask that you give this spectacle of this show a chance. 

I didn't know much about Cher or her work; but in a way, that served me an advantage. It mean I didn't have many expectations, and it was open to blow me out of the water. 

The Cher Show is playing at the Manchester Opera House until Saturday, before continuing its UK Tour.