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Who Do Ya Love?

 
Isabella Thompson Review by Isabella Thompson 4 Published: 18 Aug 2024 Assembly George Square Studios Show Dates: 31 Jul 2024-25 Aug 2024

Who Do Ya Love? is a fun-loving larger-than-life jukebox musical about Harry Wayne Casey’s journey to starting KC and the Sunshine Band. Book written by J. F. Lawton (Pretty Woman: The Musical), the show uses the band’s discography to tell the story of Casey’s and his group of friends as they navigate life in the 70s.

This show will definitely make you ‘Shake Your Booty’.

Bursting with energy from start to finish, in true Sunshine Band style, the musical screams disco fever, with classic 70s tunes and dance moves. We the audience can’t help but groove to the music and sing along, encouraged by the effervescent chorus on stage. The show uses a meta-theatrical narrative device where Harry Casey consults his friend Dee on how best to create the musical re-telling of his story. They discuss which songs he should sing, which plot points to hit and tropes he should incorporate. This is a clever way of approaching a jukebox musical, which are often known for their flimsy plots.

The show bears all the hallmarks of a classic broadway musical condensed into Fringe form. With a chorus of vivacious dancers, Lisa Stevens’ choreography is perfection, combining classic disco moves with a whiff of musical theatre jazz to produce tight sequences. There are more quick-changes than you can count with technicolour costumes that light up the stage.

The highlights of the show are surely the upbeat group numbers such as ‘boogie man’ where the chorus are clad in camouflage and shoot water out of pink, glittery guns, or ‘Queen of Clubs’, showcasing all-silver costumes, including the male characters who don silver platform heels. The singing is pitch perfect and the performers’ vocal style is perfectly matched to the disco tunes.

Unfortunately, in the second half of the show there are one too many holes in the narrative that detract from the otherwise very polished production. Granted, it is difficult to create a Fringe-sized musical of this scale; however, time could be saved by cutting a couple of songs that do not drive the plot, or by spending less time setting up the narrative structure in the first half. This would allow the show to include important details on Casey’s rise to stardom that we currently miss: his first record deal, first number one hit, gathering band members etc. In addition, the show would gain a stronger structure with a greater sense of climax as opposed to the current (rather random) ending that fizzles out.

Overall, however, Who Do Ya Love? is a must-see for any musical theatre lover at Fringe. Sharp, sleek and camp, this show will definitely make you ‘Shake Your Booty’.

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The Blurb:

Get your boogie shoes ready for the official KC and the Sunshine Band musical. Featuring eight West End performers and some of the most iconic dance floor fillers of the 70s, this world premiere celebrates the early life of Harry Casey the King of Disco in a feel-good hour of big laughs and infectious music. Featuring over 20 hit tracks including Give It Up, Please Don't Go, Get Down Tonight, Boogie Shoes and That's the Way (I Like It), see the UK's next big disco musical at the very start of its journey!