Just For One Day

(seen at the afternoon preview performance on 24th May 2025)

The monkey was a cynical teenager in the era of “Band Aid” and all that followed. Like many, it questioned whether this vast outpouring of demonstrative emotion (unknown in the 1980s) was achieving anything at all.

First beauty of this musical drama-documentary-love story is that it asks the same thing. Second beauty is that it doesn’t take itself at all seriously in answering the question.

Very occasionally, a musical finds an entirely unique voice, a way of telling a deeper story so well that it resonates for a very long time after. “Les Misérables,” “Cats,” “Carousel”, “Six” as examples of a very short list. You can add this to them.

John O’Farrell uses a titanium peg of a story about a record shop girl in Weston Super Mare to jump between today and that day in 1985. It is more than strong enough to carry the weight of how the entire “Live Aid” concert came to be, right from Geldof watching a TV news report to the final crew member asking “is that it, then?”

A terrific cast sing songs of the era. No impersonations, just finding the same meaning as the originals. There are jokes galore, some aimed at boomers who were there, others decidedly “in” among the celebrities of the era.

Craige Els just is Geldof. Foul-mouthed and driven, nailing expiration at today’s youth with a single, “you would be!” at veganism. With brilliant Tim Mahendran as clock-wearing Harvey Goldsmith, you can see how they did the concert in a few weeks (note to script editor – you can’t have techs saying they worked on it “for months” as they couldn’t have). 

Julie Atherton’s Margaret Thatcher is a star turn, enemy then ally. Having to deal with a despicable disruptive audience member, an eye-roll and later under breath “off with his head” demonstrated her well-known skills even further at this particular performance.

Melissa Jacques and Hope Kenna as Suzanne and young Suzanne respectively are wonderful as our central guides to the times. Jacques takes her own daughter, Jemma (Fayth Ifil, a voice to remember) back to the period, the memories as sweet as first love Tim (Jack Michael Stacey on excellent teen boy form).  

Tamara Tare as Alicia, Rhianne-Louise McCaulsky as Amara, Jason Battersby as David and Kelly Agbowu as Marsha all score hugely vocally and in smaller roles.

The monkey also has to note the authenticity of the seats of Sotra Gilmour’s simple rostrum set. The actual Wembley Stadium had them closer together, but those backless orange plastic things are accurate.

Mentions too for Andrzej Goulding’s video designs – far more sophisticated than we could do back then, but adding a lot to the atmosphere. Likewise Gareth Owen’s sounds and Howard Hudson’s light designs benefit from our current technology, and it is amusing just where the microphones are produced from at times.

A few are going to quibble that the final concert section is just that, to extend running time. In fact, it is the final genius of this show. Melting the atmosphere of the audience with the pandemonium backstage and the global reaction is done in a far cleverer way that detractors are willing to credit.

Those who remember will feel nostalgic, those too young will experience one of the very best history lessons they will ever have.

For what it boils down to is simple: Bad politics and farming failure left massive numbers in Ethiopia starving. One man with the status and energy tried to do something to help, sending out an SOS to the world.

That is amazing, and we all need to be reminded of the fact. This show does so, brilliantly.

Just give the box office your f**king money.

Standing ovation given.